Revel Shuts Down NYC Moped Service After 2 Fatal Crashes

NEW YORK CITY — Revel shut down its New York City moped service after two fatal crashes in 10 days.

The scooter rideshare company made the announcement Tuesday on Twitter, shortly after a fatal crash involving one of its mopeds in Queens.

"New York riders - starting today, NYC service will be shut down until further notice," the company tweeted. "We’re reviewing and strengthening our rider accountability and safety measures and communicating with city officials, and we look forward to serving you again in the near future."

Revel came under increasing scrutiny after the death of CBS2 reporter Nina Kapur last week in a moped crash in Brooklyn.

Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday said the deaths connected to Revel rides were an "unacceptable state of affairs." Revel will not be allowed to restart business until it meets the city's safety standards and concerns, he said.

"No one should be running a business that is not safe," he said.

The company offered electric mopeds to ride for 35 cents a minute. But Kapur's fatal crash cast a light on its safety record, numerous lawsuits from riders and terms of service, as detailed in a Gothamist report.

And serious crashes involving Revel mopeds continued in Manhattan and Queens, according to reports.

The clamor culminated with Jeremy Malave's death early Tuesday in Queens. The 32-year-old slammed into a light pole and suffered severe head trauma, police said.

Revel's announcement that the company would suspend service and review its safety measures came quickly afterwards.

The company declined further comment beyond its tweet.

De Blasio, in a response to question about why it took so long for the city to act, said Revel is a relatively new company. The city brought concerns to Revel, which did enact some changes, he said.

But the changes clearly weren't enough, he said.

"It’s just gotten to be too much," he said.

Patch reporter Maya Kaufman contributed to this report.