The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will hold public hearings and community meetings on revised proposed service changes. Click here to view the presentation.
RIPTA first announced proposed reductions in service statewide in February as a direct response to its driver shortage, which is a longstanding issue that RIPTA has been trying to address over the past few years. The labor shortage, which is affecting transit agencies nationwide, has a direct impact on the level of service that RIPTA can provide. Since the February announcement, RIPTA’s starting driver wage has increased to $25.33 per hour in an effort to attract and retain new drivers.
Last month, RIPTA announced that proposed service changes, originally scheduled for April 6, 2024, would be postponed. This delay allowed RIPTA staff to further evaluate routes and make necessary adjustments to lessen the impact on passengers. Additionally, RIPTA is closely monitoring the effects of the recent increase in driver wages on its system.
After careful deliberation, RIPTA revised some of the previously proposed service changes in order to minimize disruptions for passengers. While some of these revised changes will result in reduced overall service levels, essential connections will still be maintained. The proposed changes, based on data which identified the lowest performing routes and trip times, include the elimination of routes or route segments, the decrease of service frequency and span, as well as the increase of service frequency on some high performing routes. RIPTA will conduct public hearings as required to present these revised service changes, as well as review previously proposed service changes. These public hearings will address revised proposed service changes to Routes 3, 4, 6, 13, 16, 23, 71, 73, 76, 80 and 95x. Additionally, RIPTA will review proposed service changes that were previously presented in February for Routes Qx, 12x, 14, 18, 64, 21, 23, 51, 54, 58, 59x, 61x, 65x, 68, 72, 87, 92 and 95x, as well as introduce a new route.
All interested parties are invited to submit comments concerning the proposed service changes by April 19, 2024. Comments may be sent to RIPTA, Office of the CEO, 705 Elmwood Ave., Providence, RI 02907. Comments may also be sent to marketing@ripta.com or by calling (401) 784-9500 ext. 1101.
Proposed changes are as follows:
Increase in Trip Frequency or Number of Trips
Route 51 (Charles St./Twin River/CCRI)
Route 54 (Lincoln/Woonsocket)
Route 72 (Weeden/Central Falls)
Route 92 (East Side/Federal Hill/RI College) – scheduled for Fall 2022
Regular Route Eliminations
Route QX (Quonset Express)
Route 12x (Arctic/117 Express Park-n-Ride)
Route 59x (North Smithfield/Lincoln Mall)
Route 61x (Tiverton/East Bay Park-n-Ride)
Route 76 (Central Ave.) – This will be combined with Route 80 to create a new Route 70.
Route 80 (Armistice Blvd.) – This will be combined with Route 76 to create a new Route 70.
Route 88 (Simmons Village Service)
Routes 9x, 10x, 23, 68, and 73 are no longer proposed for elimination.
Route Segment Eliminations – Eliminated Segment
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo)- This route will no longer serve Colony House.
Route 14 (West Bay – All service between North Kingstown to Narragansett (Saturday only).
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech) – All service between First & Main and Quonset.
Route 58 (Mineral Spring/North Providence)- All service between Mineral Spring to Rte. 146 (one trip affected).
Route 68 (CCRI NPT/Mem. Blvd./First Beach) – All service between the Newport Transportation Center and CCRI Newport
Route 16 will terminate at First & Main in East Greenwich instead of New England Tech. Frequency will be reduced to every 90 minutes from every 60 minutes. Span of service will be reduced.
Route 64 will continue to serve Boston Neck Rd. and the URI Bay Campus with a reduced number of trips. Additionally, Flex 203 serves URI Bay Campus on request.
Route 63 riders can connect to Route 68 with a timed transfer at the Newport Transportation Center to travel to CCRI Newport, the beaches, and DHS.
Elimination of Saturday Service
Route 18 (Union Ave.) – this route does not currently operate on Sunday.
Route 64 (Newport/URI/Kingston Station) – this route does not currently operate on Sunday.
Route 58 Saturday service is no longer proposed for elimination.
Elimination of Sunday Service
Route 23 (Arctic/Crompton/Centre of NE)
Routes 4, 16, 69 and 71 Sunday service is no longer proposed for elimination.
Elimination of All Weekend Service
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo)
Route 29 (CCRI Warwick/Conimicut)
Route 75 (Dexter/Lincoln Mall)
Routes 13 and 30 Saturday and Sunday are no longer proposed for elimination.
Reduction in Trip Frequency or Number of Trips
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo) – Weekday: Reduce frequency between 9am-5pm to every to 60 minutes.
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech) – Daily: Reduce frequency from every 60 minutes to every 90 minutes.
Route 18 (Union Ave.) – Weekday: Reduce frequency from every 30 minutes to every 60 minutes.
Route 21 (Reservoir/Malls/CCRI) – Saturday: Reduce frequency from every 40 minutes to every 50 minutes.
Route 64 (Newport/URI Kingston) – Weekday: Reschedule service so that it there are only 6 trips per day.
Route 65x (Wakefield Express) – Weekday: Reduce from 3 peak trips to 2 peak trips.
Route 87 (Fairmount/Walnut Hill) – Weekend: Reduce frequency from every 40 minutes to every 80 minutes.
Route 95x (Westerly Express) – Weekday: Reduce frequency from 3 round trips to 2 round trips.
Reduction in Span of Service
Route 3 (Oakland Beach) – Sunday: Service will run from 9:30am-4:50pm instead of 7:18am-8:12pm.
Route 4 (Warwick Neck) – Sunday: Service will run from 9:20am-5pm instead of 6:25am-7:25pm.
Route 13 (Coventry/Arctic/CCRI) – Saturday: Service will run from 7:30am-7:30pm instead of 7:18am-8:12pm. Sunday: Service will run from 7:30am-7:30pm instead of 6:30am-9:12pm.
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech) – Weekday: Service will run from 6:30am-6:30pm instead of 5:27am-10:50pm. Saturday: Service will run from 6:30am-7pm instead of 6:30am-9:12pm. Sunday: Service will run from 6:30am-7pm instead of 7:24pm-9:49pm.
Route 23 (Arctic/Crompton/Centre of NE) – Weekday: Service will run 8:30am-5pm instead of 5:43am – 10:33pm. Saturday: Service will run from 8:30am-5pm instead of 5:35am-9:51pm.
Route 71 (Broad St./Pawtucket Ave) – Sunday: Service will run from 8:45am-5pm instead of 7:15am-5:57pm.
Route 73 (Mineral Spring/Twin River/CCRI) – Weekday: Service will run from 8:30am-4:05pm instead of 6:50am-7:35pm.
New Route
Route 70 (click here for map) – Routes 76 and 80 will be restructured to form a new Route 70. Route 70 will run Monday through Saturday (no Sunday service) traveling on Walcott St., Armistice Blvd., Central Ave., and Daggett Ave. It will run every 60 minutes on weekdays from 7:10am to 5:53pm and on Saturdays from 9:10am to 4:53pm
Under state law, the Authority must post the hearing schedule prior to holding any public hearings. All input from the public at the hearings will go to RIPTA’s Board of Directors; the Board will vote on the proposed service changes at its next board meeting in April. If approved, service changes would go into effect on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
Public Hearing and Community Meeting Schedule
The public hearing schedule is as follows:
Monday, April 8, 2024
The Providence Foundation
Commerce Center auditorium
30 Exchange Terrace, Providence
Times: 12pm – 2pm & 5pm – 7pm
Monday, April 15, 2024
West Warwick Public Library
1043 Main Street, West Warwick
Times: 12pm – 2pm & 5pm – 7pm
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Pawtucket Public Library
13 Summer Street
Time: 5pm – 7pm
Friday, April 19, 2024
URI Memorial Union, Senate Chamber, 50 Lower College Road, Kingston
Time: 12pm – 2pm
These hearings will be accessible to people with disabilities and people with limited English proficiency. RIPTA will provide translation and interpreter services for the deaf and hearing impaired, provided such a request is made at least 72 hours prior to the hearing date. A request for this service can be made by calling (401) 784-9500 ex. 1242 or 800-745-5555 (RI Relay TDD).