MTA bans hoverboards on all trains, buses, at stations

After reports of hoverboardsbursting into flames and sending people to the hospital over the holidays and beyond, the MTA has decided to ban them.

The transit agency announced on Wednesday that the personal wheeled vehicleswill no longer be allowedaboard trains or buses or at stations of the New York City Subway, New York City Buses, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, Staten Island Railway or Access-A-Ride.

“The safety of our customers and employees is always our top concern,” MTA Chief Safety Officer David Mayer said in a statement. “For obvious reasons, it is not safe to use hoverboards, skateboards or other personal wheeled vehicles on station platforms. We’re equally concerned about the safety risk of bringing devices that pose fire hazards into the confined spaces inside trains and buses.”

RELATED: Hoverboard sale turns into Queens brothel robbery

The ban doesn’t just mean that they can’t be used — they are prohibited from being in a person’s possession.

Explaining the reasoning, the MTA said its”safety rules have long prohibited the use of personal wheeled vehicles, such as skateboards, skates or scooters, in train stations. The rules of conduct also prohibit customers from possessing hazardous or flammable materials into the public transportation network, and the lithium-ion batteries used to power hoverboards pose the risk of fire.”

The MTA added thathoverboards have been already beenbanned by Amtrak, Americanregional railroads ,including Chicago’s Metra and Los Angeles’ Metrolink, and most U.S. airlines.

Thehoverboardbanwill be enforced by the MTA Police Department on Metro-North, the LIRR, and Staten Island Railway, and by the NYPDon the city’s subways and buses.