January 27, 2015
Press Releases
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will begin restoring regular route service starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, January 28, 2015 following blizzard conditions that caused the cancellation of all service on Tuesday.
The authority will focus on restoring service where roads are safe and passable, but even then some routes may face detours or delays. RIPTA is currently assessing street conditions and will be releasing more information as each route is brought back on line. Passengers are asked to keep checking www.RIPTA.com for updates and also to follow RIPTA’s social mediat posts on Facebook (@RideRIPTA) and Twitter (@RIPTA_RI).
As announced earlier on Tuesday, RIPTA officials are preparing to restore RIde program service for critical care medical appointments on Wednesday morning, January 28, 2015. The RIde program reservation line (401-461-9760) is scheduled to reopen at Wednesday at 6 a.m. The Kennedy Plaza transit hub and information center is scheduled to reopen at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. There will be no service to any Park N Ride locations Wednesday, as many still need to be plowed. RIPTA will be monitoring those locations and will announce when service returns to the parking lots.
“We know that everyone is asking about service and when the bus routes will resume, but the key for us is safe service,” said Barbara Polichetti, Director of Public Affairs for RIPTA. “We really appreciate our passengers’ patience during this storm and we’re asking people to please continue to be patient as we restore service in the safest manner possible.”
Polichetti said that RIPTA employees will be out driving bus routes late Tuesday night in order to determine which routes are passable and can be resumed as early as possible on Wednesday. With snow accumulations totaling more than two feet in some parts of the state, RIPTA has to determine if the side roads that its buses travel are passable and safe, Polichetti said. Customers are advised to use extra caution at bus stops, as conditions may slippery and snow mounds may be high. Property owners and businesses are reminded to please comply with local ordinances and clear sidewalks, particularly around bus stops and shelters.
For information on RIPTA services, call 781-9400 or visit ripta.com.