Revel deployed 1,000 mopeds to the streets of Brooklyn and Queens today. (Revel)
May 29, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
One thousand new electric mopeds hit the streets of Brooklyn and Queens earlier today after tech startup Revel launched its rent-by-the-minute moped business in the two boroughs.
After a successful test run last summer of 68 bikes in Bushwick, Williamsburg and Greenpoint, the moped sharing business will now cover more than 20 neighborhoods from Astoria down to Red Hook and Crown Heights.
The Queens areas covered by the service are Long Island City, Astoria and a sliver of Sunnyside.
Revel’s operation area. (Revel)
The mopeds, which max out at 30 miles per hour, will be confined to the two outer boroughs as riders are not allowed to use them on bridges, highways or tunnels, meaning they won’t be used by commuters travelling into the city, unlike the rapidly expanding Citi Bike.
To use the mopeds, riders need sign up on the Revel app and pay a $19 registration fee. Anyone 21 years and older with a valid driver’s license can rent the mopeds for 25 cents per minute, on top of a $1 base fee per ride. Once a rider has finished their trip, the bike can be parked in any legal street parking spot.
To ensure that rides are as safe as possible, every moped comes with a helmet that riders are required to wear. Revel also offers free lessons at their Cypress Avenue office in Ridgewood.
Shared mopeds are widely popular in Europe and other american cities, such as San Francisco, but have historically been less common in New York City. According to the Department of Transportation, roughly 2,100 mopeds were previously registered in the city, meaning Revel will be increasing that number by nearly 50 percent.
Astoria Coverage Area (Source: Revel)
Astoria Coverage Area (Source: Revel)
Featured Events
21 Comments
Ewww helmet sharing …. LICE!!!!
More lost parking spots , we have a real shortage of parking in
LIC , imagine getting home from work and you have these taking up parking on your street , none left for you ala Tech startup? They want all our private vehicles gone ! Its the DMV’s vison of the future. This is how they will do it , one new step at a time , we know the deal , they think it will help climate change, no more gas powered private vehicles !
Pick them up and move them if they are taking up full parking spots
Sounds pretty cool to me, a great option to get from one place to another during the warmer months.
Will users be required to bring their own Lysol??? God, those share a helmets!!!
$15 per hour? Or I can buy an electric scooter for $500? Wow, that’s expensive!!!
In other cities, these “leave wherever you want” scooters get left anywhere the rider stops, on sidewalks, private property, etc. People frustrated by sidewalks littered with these things toss them into rivers, in lakes/ponds or hang them from streetlights. I can’t wait to see how creative New Yorkers deal with them.
On another note, I can see how these might become the preferred method for frat boys and former frat boys to get home after a night of drinking.
The “bird” e-scooters seen in other cities are light enough to toss around (and thankfully not approved in NYC…YET).
These mopeds are much heavier, probably close to 200 lbs. They shut down after midnight, at least for now.
…in their hatred of these scooters.
They aren’t “Mopeds”, they are Electric Scooters, they don’t have Bicycle type Pedals. This is a big mistake, what Politician was involved in this? How will they be insured if they are to operate on public roadways? Motorcyclists must have an “M” endorsement which requires a test of skills. What makes these dangerous is “Lack of Skills Testing” for potential riders, and the rest of the people on the roads, pedestrians included.
They have these in Washington DC. They ride on the sidewalk and are a menace to pedestrians…Waiting for the lawsuits to begin.
If one is injured by one of these mopeds, does one sue the driver or the rental company? Is there a license plate to identify the moped and driver? These mopeds can be left in any legal parking spot? One should be required to have a motorcycle license to operate a moped, not a vehicle license. Who thought of this insanity!?!
Yeah I saw a few of these all around lic, andAstoria, they, all had plates. I think that means although they are electric they have to stop at res lights too
You think only motored vehicles are to stop at red lights????
????????
I hope they expand their coverage to Jackson Heights.
At the rate this is all going, the only ones who will need helmets are the people crossing streets and walking on sidewalks….
Airport Trains, building construction, bikes, mopeds, scooters makes The Jetsons look ancient!
If these bikes are illegal for delivery people to use, then they should be illegal for any other idiot. Looking forward to the numerous car accidents to come.
How can I partner with this startup to bring these bikes to local Long Island City Area have a great evening thanks in advance
These mopeds need to stay on the streets, off the sidewalks and out of the bike lanes. Just like the picture shows.
They’re laughing because they know the next rider gets to wear their sweaty, stinking helmet!
Great now people will ride these on the sidewalk to keep their biking and skateboarding friends company