The Oakland Department of Transportation and shared-vehicle company Revel launched the placement of 1,000 mopeds on Friday as another form of mobility around the city.
Oakland officials said the city will be Revel’s first market on the West Coast and the company’s service area will cover the entire city.
“In 2017, Oakland and Berkeley launched the first multi-jurisdictional, free-floating car share program in the country, allowing users to rent and park vehicles at any legal parking space within the service area,” said OakDOT director Ryan Russo, “Today, we add a second operator to that program, offering a space efficient and sustainable electric vehicle.”
Revel stated that it will take considerable measures to make sure riders are safe and responsible while riding around on the mopeds. A possible user would need to download the Reveal mobile app and upload their driver’s license that confirms that the user is 21 or older to drive. The user also should not have a history of reckless driving, as they won’t be accepted into Revel’s program.
Once approved by the app, riders can find, reserve and unlock any moped using their phone. Each vehicle comes with two certified helmets and can carry a maximum of two riders. Each ride will cost $1 per person to start and follows with 29 cents per minute.
“We’ve worked closely with the Oakland Department of Transportation to ensure our system will meet the city’s needs and help Oakland move towards its emissions reduction goals,” said CEO and co-founder Frank Reig. As the mopeds will be a part of the city’s car share program, riders can unlock and park in any legal parking space within the Oakland service area. All mopeds must be parked perpendicular to the street with the rear wheel to the curb and can park at the painted T spaces when at a metered space.
The company will also offer free lessons for Oakland residents interested in additional riding or safety instruction. Users can sign up online for lessons, which will be located at 1960 Mandela Parkway.
As part of the agreement, the moped company will create over 30 new jobs with benefits in Oakland. “This affordable new transportation option will be available through the entire city, helping OakDOT to achieve our goal of equitable access to shared mobility options,” said OakDOT director Ryan Russo.