Revel suspends NYC scooter service after two fatal crashes

NEW YORK — Ridesharing scooter startup Revel said Tuesday it is suspending operations in New York City after a second fatal crash in less than two weeks.

Revel tweeted that service “will be shut down until further notice” as it reviews safety and rider accountability measures. The company’s app alerted riders to the news.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said city officials spoke to Revel executives on Tuesday and made clear the company’s safety record is “an unacceptable state of affairs.”

“When you see an incident, a few incidents, it causes concern,” de Blasio said. “Our people have been talking to Revel, and they’ve been making changes, but not enough changes is the bottom line. This has just gotten to be too much.”

The company’s blue scooters, which require a driver's license but no training to rent, had been seen as an alternative to taxis and subways during the coronavirus pandemic.

Revel’s decision to suspend operations comes hours after 32-year-old Jeremy Malave was killed when police said he slammed his Revel scooter into a light pole in Queens.