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Update: After a short-lived farewell, Revel is presumably back in NYC.
Those bright-blue Vespa-like scooters are back on the streets just one month after the company halted service following a string of fatal crashes that occurred on the mopeds, in less than a two week span.
After the three deadly collisions in July, Mayor de Blasio stated that Revel would not be welcomed back in New York unless the scooter-share service found a way to "make the service safe". Now, as part of Revels return, the company is implementing extensive safety protocols.
These include: in-app instructional videos that are mandatory to watch before riding, and users must also take a photo of themselves wearing a helmet.
According to police reports, two of the three victims who tragically died in July were not wearing helmets at the time of their crashes.
Revel is also now requiring users to take a 20-minute, 21-question-long safety test in the app, before you ride.
This article has been updated from its original with new information.
Revel announced Tuesday that it will stop operating in New York City indefinitely, following multiple deadly crashes involving its motorized scooters as recent as Tuesday morning.
“New York riders, starting today, NYC service will be shut down until further notice,” the electric moped sharing company said in a tweet. “We’re reviewing and strengthening our rider accountability and safety measures and communicating with city officials, and we look forward to serving you again in the near future.”
The announcement comes after two Revel motorists died in separate crashes—the most recent happening on Tuesday morning when a Brooklyn man struck a light a pole on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens. That death was the second in 10 days. On July 18, reporter Nina Kapur died after a Revel crash in Manhattan.
At the time of Kapur's death, a spokesperson from Revel said her death was believed to be the first death involving a Revel moped.
If you haven't ridden one yourself, Revels scooters max out at 30 miles per hour and helmets are required with your rental. However, you don't need any specific motorcycle license to drive one.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, speaking during his daily press briefing Tuesday, called Revel’s decision to shut down Big Apple service “the right thing to do.”
“We have seen too many times in the last few days painful realities of people injured, and even worse, lives lost by folks who were just trying to have an enjoyable experience and rented a Revel scooter,” de Blasio said.
The mayor added, “I do think it stands to reason that if folks are using something that in many ways is like a motorcycle without having to have a license, it stands to reason it’s going to put people in harm’s way.”
“I’ve been very clear with Revel—they cannot open in this city unless they find a way to make the service safe,” de Blasio said.
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