It’s possible we’ll see more mopeds in DC soon. The electric scooter ride-sharing company Lime said it wants to launch a fleet in the city starting March 1, according to The Washington Post.
DC and Paris were selected as the first cities where San Francisco-based Lime will test its mopeds. The group will submit a permit seeking to launch up to 600 mopeds in the District. Lime also offers electric scooters and bikes to rent in the area, and currently operates in 130 cities globally.
Lime’s mopeds will have a maximum speed of 28 miles-per-hour, and users will have to wear a helmet, be at least 21 years-old, and have a driver’s license to operate them. Moped riders will also have to take a safety course and pass a test before renting one.
Currently, District commuters can rent mopeds via Revel, a ride-sharing service that has been in the city since 2019. The group has not been without its issues: It temporarily suspended service in New York City last summer after two riders died, and right after Revel’s DC fleet launched, a moped driver was hospitalized after hitting a Logan Circle pothole. Additionally, protests broke out in DC after Karon Hylton-Brown died on a Revel scooter in October while being followed by police.
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
