New York City rush hour is the bane of many commuters’ existence. Do you risk getting delayed on the subway, or hop in a cab to then just get stuck in some of the world’s worst traffic?
Other transit options have been infiltrating the city as a way to provide relief to these woes, and one of the latest additions — Revel Transit, the company behind the rideshare electric mopeds that recently debuted in Brooklyn — organized a rush hour race to see how it fared against other commuting choices.
On Tuesday morning, seven New Yorkers battled rush hour on seven different modes of transportation: Revel Transit electric moped, Citi Bike, the subway, the bus, an Uber, an Uber Pool and a green taxi.
The rush hour route? The race began at Revel Transit’s headquarters on 12 Cypress Avenue in Brooklyn at 8:40 a.m. and ended at Court Square. This meant the subway ride consisted of the L train to the G train, and the bus route was the B57 to the Q59.
Revel’s electric moped won the race (full disclosure, Revel Transit did organize the event), clocking in at a total commute time of 23 minutes. The Uber Pool ride came in second place at 34 minutes and the regular Uber ride in third with a travel time of 37 minutes. Here’s the full race results, per Revel:
Revel Race NYC Rush Hour Commute Times
Revel E-Moped: 23 minutes
Uber Pool: 34 minutes
Uber: 37 minutes
Green Cab: 43 minutes
L Train to G Train: 44 minutes
Bus: 50 minutes
Citi Bike: 58 minutes
The seven New Yorkers who braved rush hour on different modes of transportation. Photo: Provided by Revel Transit
Yup, Citi Bike landed in last place, per Revel, though perhaps Tuesday’s heat didn’t help the rider’s chances.
“The trip was much harder than I thought it would be,” said the New Yorker tasked with riding the Citi Bike during the race, per a statement. “Several uphill climbs and some traffic slowed me down. I didn’t see anywhere to attach my phone, so I lost some time stopping to take my phone out a few times to make sure I was headed the right way. Very tiring, but fun. It was a 20-minute walk to the Citi Bike dock since there are no docking stations in Bushwick and 44 minutes on the bike.”
Citi Bike was the cheapest rush hour commute option, Revel noted (though the “free” ride came as part of a $169/year membership). Public transit was the second cheapest with a fare of $2.75, followed by the Revel e-moped, which was $4.36. The 37-minute solo Uber ride racked up a charge of $41 (it was surging, according to the rider), making it the most expensive option in the rush hour race.
The rush hour race was a way to scrutinize morning transit options for Brooklynites, Revel officials said.
“L train shutdown aside, outer-borough residents have faced limited transportation access for too long, leaving many to suffer long and often delayed commutes,” said Revel Transit Co-Founder Paul Suhey in a statement. “We hope that by bringing e-mopeds to Brooklyn, we can add a needed transportation link to an area that desperately needs it.”
