After a second fatal crash in just over a week, Revel is shutting down in New York City.
Earlier this month in Brooklyn, TV news reporter Nina Kapur was killed in a Revel accident. The company had at least 1,000 vehicles in New York City, which could be rented by the minute.
Kapur was riding as a passenger when she was thrown off after the moped driver swerved. Then, early Tuesday morning, a 32-year-old rider died after a crash in Queens.
A Revel spokesperson said in an email statement that the company — which started renting the electric vehicles in NYC in March 2018 — was “voluntarily shutting down New York City service” as of Tuesday.
During the shutdown, Revel said it was going to “further review and strengthen” its “rider accountability and safety measures.”
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced what could be a temporary removal “until we can find a way to make shared mopeds safe.” Revel also said it was “actively communicating with city officials and look forward to serving the New York City community again in the near future.”
Transportation alternatives are important but safety on our streets is paramount. We spoke with Revel this morning and they are shutting down until we can find a way to make shared mopeds safe.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) July 28, 2020
Revel also operates in Washington, D.C., Austin, Miami, and Oakland and declined to comment on any changes to those cities. Last month the company announced it received a permit to operate 432 mopeds in San Francisco starting in August.