The Mopeds are coming faster than I thought! “fleet of 400 street-legal Revels will roll out to all of the District’s eight wards starting this weekend.”

courtesy revel

From a press release:

“Revel, a shared electric vehicle company, today announced it was granted a permit by DDOT to launch its fleet of all-electric shared mopeds in Washington. Through a close collaboration with the city, the company’s fleet of 400 street-legal Revels will roll out to all of the District’s eight wards starting this weekend.

“Starting soon, Washingtonians will have a new way to quickly, easily, and conveniently get wherever they may need to go throughout the city,” said Frank Reig, CEO and co-founder of Revel. “This could not have been done without the leadership and collaboration of DDOT and the entire District. We share their goals of providing new, reliable transportation options that work seamlessly in the city’s current regulatory, transportation, and parking systems and help the District meet its aggressive carbon emissions goals.”

Washington will be Revel’s first expansion city beyond its home in New York City, where the vehicles are available throughout Brooklyn and Queens. Revels are available to licensed drivers over the age of 21 who pass the initial safe driving record background check. Once enrolled, riders can use the Revel mobile app to find, reserve, and unlock the Revel of their choice parked throughout the service area. Each Revel can carry up to two riders, is limited to local streets, and is capped at a speed of 30 miles per hour. Revel rides cost $1 per person to start, followed by $0.25 per minute to ride and $0.10 per minute while parked. Each Revel is U.S. DOT safety-certified and, like every other motor vehicle on the road, Revels are registered with the Washington, D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles.

As a part of its commitment to Washington, Revel has secured warehouse space in Ward 4; and will hire at least 30 local residents. The company will work with workforce development organizations, such as Jubilee Jobs, to hire full-time employees with salaries and benefits to be mechanics and replace batteries across its D.C. fleet. Additionally, to make sure that all D.C. residents can use the Revel, the company has a Revel Access program in which riders who are eligible for, or actively participating in, any locally or federally administered assistance program receive a 40-percent discount on riding and have the registration fee waived.

“District residents have embraced the growing roster of public and private transportation choices for their commutes and trips throughout our community. As our city continues to grow and demands on the current transportation systems increase, we’re glad to welcome Revel as another environmentally friendly, affordable option, further distinguishing the nation’s capital as a leader committed to innovative, sustainable transit,” said Brandon Todd, Ward 4 City Councilmember. “This partnership was a no brainer – Revels don’t require any new laws, infrastructure, or investment and I applaud the Mayor and her team at DDOT for being forward thinking and continuing to create a climate for businesses to thrive and grow.”

Safety is a top priority for Revel. Prior to riding, every rider must be approved through a background review of their license and driving record to check that they have a valid license, that the license is theirs, and that they are not a reckless driver. To date, approximately one out of every 12 applicants does not make it past this screening.

Each Revel is equipped with two U.S. DOT-certified helmets that must be worn at all times. At the start of each ride, Revel offers a free safety minute to strap on the helmet, get situated comfortably, and adjust the mirrors prior to driving. Additionally, Revel offers free driving lessons seven days a week for those interested in riding or safety instruction. Every D.C. rider is covered up to $300,000 in third-party liability insurance, and all riders are required to abide by all local traffic and parking laws.

Riders in Washington interested in finding a Revel near them can download the app and complete a background check at gorevel.com/app.“