MBTA Bans Hoverboards, Citing Safety Risks

By ALISON BAUTER (Patch Staff)

WILMINGTON, MA - The Mass. Bay Transit Authority announced Tuesday it has deemed hoverboards unsafe, and is banning them on all of its properties, effective immediately.

That includes stations, buses, subways, trains and commuter boats, the MBTA said. There are no exceptions.

The transit agency cited nationwide reports of fires and explosions associated with the lithium-ion battery-powered boards, including a North End fire that caused thousands in damages earlier this month. As a result, the MBTA said, the devices are officially considered a safety risk and are banned from MBTA property going forward.

In a press release, the MBTA wrote: "A potential fire ignited by a hoverboard can expose customers to smoke and toxic gas, which can result in injury or death. They also increase the risk of personal injury to riders due to falls, collisions, as well as the possibility of falling into the train pit."

Transit authorities in New York, California, and Chicago, as well as airlines, have imposed similar restrictions, the MBTA said.

MBTA staff and MBTA police will tell riders about the ban if they are spotted with a hoverboard, and the MBTA said its employees "will enforce the ban as needed." Expect to see signs (like the one above) posted in the next few weeks, notifying the public.