Revel, a scooter ride-sharing service, has stopped its operations in New York City after a second fatal crash involving one of the company's electric-powered mopeds on the city's streets.
A Tweet from Revel disclosed that its service in the city was suspend starting Tuesday until further notice. The company said it is evaluating and strengthening their "rider accountability and safety measures and communicating with city officials," Elisha Fieldstadt quoted the tweet in her NBC News report, adding that Revel looks forward to serving the New York City area again in the near future.
Jeremy Malave, 32, was onboard a Revel scooter on Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens Tuesday morning when he hit a light post on a median, New York police said. The officers said they found Malave lying on the ground with severe head trauma. It was not clear whether Malave was wearing a helmet, which is provided by the service. He was declared dead at the North Shore Forest Hills Hospital.
In a media briefing, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said his office spoke to Revel and made clear that what happened was unacceptable. The mayor said they won't allow the company to resume operations unless they are convinced it can be done safely.
The company's blue mopeds, which require a professional driver's license but no training to rent, had been considered an alternative to taxis and subways during the ongoing global health crisis.
Revel scooters have been involved in a series of mishaps and received numerous complaints about drivers' reckless behavior. At least two Revel riders have died in the city this month and many have been reported injured.
Nina Kapur, a 26-year-old reporter for New York's CBS station, died in a Revel accident in Brooklyn on July 18. Riding as a passenger, she was thrown from the moped when the driver suddenly swerved because he thought a car was pulling out of a spot and he was trying to avoid the vehicle.
Revel scooters first launched in New York City in the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn and are a more recent addition to Manhattan's busy thoroughfares. Anyone 21 or above with a valid driver's license can operate one by simply downloading an app and unlocking a Revel scooter from a designated service area.
Revel also operates in Miami, Austin, and Washington DC, and recently made public its plans to put up operations in San Francisco. A Revel representative declined to respond to questions about which safety protocols the group would be evaluating, or whether Revel would halt service in other locations.
