As of January 15, 2022, RIPTA no longer accepts paper fare products on board.
If you have unused fare products, not to worry! You can transfer the value over to your new Wave account by filling out this form and then mailing your unused fare products to RIPTA. If you currently purchase fare products from RIPTA in bulk, please disregard this Exchange. A RIPTA representative will be reaching out to you to discuss your transition to Wave.
YOU MUST HAVE A WAVE CARD OR WAVE APP IN ORDER TO EXCHANGE YOUR FARE PRODUCTS
At this time, Wave smart cards are available from RIPTA by mail or through a participating retailer. Click here for a list of participating retailers. To request a smart card from RIPTA, visit wave.ripta.com and then click “Create An Account” or “Register” in the top right. Registering is free and once registered you can order a Wave card with a $5 activation fee. Or, email us at CustomerService@RIPTA.com, or call 401-784-9500 ext. 2012.
Once you have a Wave card or mobile app, please complete the following steps:
- Fill out the form below, using the same Name and Email associated with your Wave account, and click “Submit,” so that we know your fare products are on the way.
- Print the completed form.
- Mail the completed form and unused fare products to:
ATTN: Customer Service Department
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
705 Elmwood Avenue
Providence, RI 02907
RIPTA is not responsible for any lost mail. You are strongly encouraged to mail your fare products using a traceable delivery method. This will minimize the risk of your documents getting lost. A traceable delivery method lets you confirm the receipt of your package at the intended destination. Traceable delivery methods include:
* USPS Certified Mail
* USPS Registered Mail
* USPS Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation
* USPS Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation
* USPS Express Mail (for overnight delivery requests) traceable delivery method
Once received, RIPTA will transfer the value of your unused fare products to Wave. There is a maximum limit of $250 that can be added to a Wave card. You will receive a phone call or email once the transfer has been completed. Please allow 3-6 weeks from the time you mail your package to complete the transfer. The U.S. Postal Service is experiencing unprecedented volume increases and limited employee availability due to the impacts of COVID-19, which may result in delayed delivery. Unfortunately, we are unable to exchange fare products in person at this time. We are only able to accept products that are mailed.