DDOT is extending its pilot program for mopeds through September

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced this week that it has decided to expand its moped pilot program in D.C.

When the department first announced that it was adding mopeds to its dockless vehicle pilot program last August, it said the initial period would only last for four months. Moped operators were allowed to apply for permits to put up to 400 mopeds each on D.C. roads. Revel, an all-electric moped shared service, was the only company granted a permit under the first phase of the program, DDOT Public Information Officer Lauren Stephens told Technical.ly. This permit is good through Feb. 29.

Moped operators granted a permit for the second phase of the pilot program will be able to operate their mopeds in D.C. from March 1 through Sept. 30. This second phase of the program also includes revised terms and conditions currently in draft.

These terms and conditions are:

• Moped companies can operate up to 600 vehicles each.
• More safety and equity requirements are to be established during this phase.
• Moped riders will not be allowed to park in bus lanes or on roads with rush hour restrictions.
• Mopeds must be distributed across all eight wards in D.C. at all times.

DDOT is allowing public comment on these new requirements through Jan. 29. D.C. residents can submit their comments to DDOT via email (ddot.parking@dc.gov) or by mail (55 M St. SE Washington, D.C. 20003).

This announcement came after DDOT also announced that it decided to extend permits for 2019 dockless escooter operators under the pilot program. These permits were supposed to expire at the end of 2019, but the department has decided to extend them to March 31. Escooter operators were not granted a 2020 permit — Bird, Lime, Razor and Bolt — are allowed to submit appeals to DDOT to be granted a permit extension.

Escooter and ebike permits granted to Lyft Scooter, Spin, Skip and Jump for this year were not affected by this change; their permits went into effect on Jan. 1.