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 their 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.
Long Island City Coverage Area (Source: Revel)
Featured Events
20 Comments
To Skip Seglipse and the other Genius who said leave LIC. I am retired and I am not rich like you are I guess.The majority of people don’t earn enough for the Condos/apartments here in LIC or many parts of this Elitist City. I do not live in Public Housing or Luxury Apts/Condos. I am middle class. I will leave as soon as my wife is ready to retire.I can’t leave yet unfortunately. I would love to. These rents are OUT OF CONTROL and you know it. I guess not everyone can be rich like you guys.
MRLIC, I may not agree with everything you say. You may say the same about me. But NOBODY should be telling you to leave LIC or this post.
What goes around comes around, Skip. Good luck growing old in NYC.
Just leave already, old man! your neighborhood has changed. get over it.
Bad idea all around. Wait for the first Revel Moped renter is run down in the neighborhood and killed. Hope he or she has their donor organ card on them when they are scraped up off the road, maybe he or she can save a life.
A bad idea.. another 21st century business geared for the hipster crowd.
A great idea.. another 21st century business geared for the hipster crowd!
Is that Cheech and Chong in the picture? Riding high as a kite and laughing their butts off knowing the next rider gets to wear their sweaty helmets.
Your comment wasn’t funny on the sunnysidepost.com either
(Seriously… Cheech & Chong!? How ancient are you!?!)
Cheech is my dad.
Cheech is your son. You’re too old.
Lighten up pal. Life’s too short. Even shorter on a moped.
Great news for funeral directors.
Why can I see people leaving these mopeds on sidewalks. Better yet someone moving one out of a parking space they desperately need. Many parking spaces will be taken by the mopeds. The helmets stolen and the mopeds themselves damaged beason y vandals Tires slashed etc…There is a reason NYC was all ate in getting them. Does not NYC have enough traffic ?
Maybe you should pay for your own parking instead of a socialist from venezuela who wants OPEN BOARDERS
Maybe you should tell garages to stop charging $400 for a parking spot
You should tell demand to stop influencing price
People who park on the street in NYC do pay for it. There are meters everywhere on top of taxes.
Don’t forget the impending Congestion Pricing” on the way to make NYC more unaffordable as if it is not already.
Maybe you should try earning more instead of looking for a government handout you socialist
Please leave LIC