D.C. will allow shared mopeds on city streets under a new pilot program

Step aside, electric scooters and bikes: Shared mopeds could be coming to town. The District announced Friday that it would accept applications for a new moped-sharing pilot program, which will last four months and permit mobility firms to offer as many as 400 mopeds each.

While the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has yet to release the terms and conditions of the pilot program, it said in a release that they would include “current laws related to the operation of mopeds such as requiring a helmet, possessing a valid driver license and no riding on the sidewalks.” Firms will need to receive special permits from DDOT to operate lawfully in the city. In a statement, Jeff Marootian, the agency’s director, said the program is “another opportunity for us to reduce dependence on single occupancy vehicles and expand the sustainable transportation options” offered to residents and visitors.

Shortly after DDOT’s announcement, Revel, a shared electric moped company that currently operates in New York, released a statement by its CEO saying it hopes to come to D.C. As for shared electric scooters and bikes, the District now permits roughly 5,000 of them citywide.