October 31, 2022

Press Releases

Two Virtual Public Meetings to be held November 16 and 17

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) has been asked by the RI General Assembly to study paratransit service throughout the state and to design a statewide program addressing the needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities traveling outside the current paratransit service area. Based on public input received at two September meetings, RIPTA has evaluated the parameters and cost of statewide paratransit service and considered other alternatives to help better serve older adults and individuals with disabilities.

RIPTA is hosting two additional virtual meetings to share study findings and seek public input to incorporate into the report to the General Assembly.

VIRTUAL MEETING SCHEDULE

These virtual meetings are scheduled on Zoom as follows:

When: Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 5:00PM
You must register in advance for this meeting. Please click HERE to register.

When: Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 10:00 AM

You must register in advance for this meeting. Please click HERE to register.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you need help registering, please call 401-784-9500 x1283.

Who should attend?

Individuals with disabilities, older adults, and other individuals that are unable to utilize RIPTA’s fixed route bus system and who have transportation needs that are not served by RIPTA’s RIde ADA paratransit service or other programs.

Please submit requests for ASL interpretation or other accommodations to jkanter@ripta.com or (401) 784-9500 by 12 PM on Monday, November 14, 2022. Closed captioning will be available through the Zoom platform at each meeting.

About the ADA Paratransit Expansion Study

The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that RIPTA provide paratransit services to people with disabilities who cannot use fixed-route service. Qualified individuals who have both trip origins and destinations within a 3/4-mile radius of an operating RIPTA fixed-route bus can use the RIde Program – RIPTA’s ADA paratransit service. In response to the RI GeneralAssembly’s request, RIPTA is now studying options to provide broader levels of accessible transportation, particularly to serve individuals whose travel does not fall within the existing RIde ADA paratransit service area. RIPTA will consider the costs and benefits of various options and report back to the General Assembly in early 2023.

The $75,000 study is funded through RIPTA’s share of the RI state gas tax.