Nothing to Revel about
Scooters 69X deadlier than Citi Bikes
One bulky blue bike is far more dangerous than the other.
There have been 69 times as many deaths per million trips on Revel e-scooters than on Citi Bikes, city officials said Tuesday. Revel was launched in 2018; Citi Bike began in 2013.
Three moped riders and one pedestrian were killed in Revel-related crashes over the span of four months this year — bringing the company’s NYC fatality rate to 1.36 deaths per million trips, Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg told City Council members during a hearing on the controversial company’s safety record.
By comparison, Citi Bike has seen just two users die in crashes since it launched on New York City streets, a rate of .02 deaths per million trips, Trottenberg said.
“Revel’s heavier, faster and less familiar vehicles will probably always present a higher risk profile,” she told council members.
“There’s no escaping the fact that moped share is in a different risk category than bike share.”
Revel was pulled from city streets in July after the deaths of three users in the span of just 10 days but returned a month later.
As part of its return, the scootershare company added new safety protocols: mandatory “how-to” videos, an extended safety text and a requirement that riders snap a “helmet selfie” before each ride.
On Tuesday, both Trottenberg and Revel boss Frank Reig claimed the added red tape had worked, despite the Sept. 29. pedestrian fatality — an 82-year-old woman hit by a rider near Columbus Circle.
“The Revel crash rate in September was 50 percent lower than in June, when the rate peaked at about three crashes per 10,000 trips,” Trottenberg said.
“The crash rate for first-time users has also declined, and helmet use has significantly increased among Revel riders.”
DOT is in the process of creating regulations for Revel and other moped share companies.
“Companies like Revel absolutely need to do our part,” Reig said.
“We look forward to DOT promulgating rules to regulate mopeds . . . In the interim, we will continue to be a good and transparent partner at all times in furtherance of the administration.”
Still, Revel’s supporters, like Councilman Antonio Reynoso (D-Brooklyn), worry the city may wind up “over-regulating” the company in reaction to safety concerns.
Reynoso insisted the company has done “everything right” and not broken any city laws in its operations.
“We’ve seen companies like Uber come into the city with no regulation and run madhouse. And that is not what I see happening with Revel,” he told Trottenberg.
“We have to be very careful about what we’re telling companies that are playing by the rules.”