January 26, 2024
Press Releases
Ridership & Workforce Shortage Drive Service Changes Proposal
Hearings Scheduled February 12 – 15, February 19 and February 21
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will hold public hearings on proposed service changes in all five Rhode Island counties on February 12 – 15, February 19 and February 21, 2024. The Authority announced that the reductions in service statewide are a direct response to its driver shortage, which is a longstanding issue that RIPTA has been trying to address over the past few years. This shortage is not related to the proposed FY2025 budget. Despite extensive recruitment efforts, drivers continue to retire more quickly than RIPTA can recruit new ones. RIPTA is actively working with Amalgamated Transit Union leadership to find a solution to this issue. The labor shortage, which is affecting transit agencies nationwide, has a direct impact on the level of service that RIPTA can provide. RIPTA must recalibrate its schedules with the level of service it can consistently run, so that service is accurate and reliable for passengers.
The proposed service changes are based on data which identified the lowest performing routes and trip times; changes include redistributing resources from low-performing routes to high-performing routes. The proposed service changes would affect thirty-three (33) regular bus routes and include the elimination of routes or route segments, the decrease of service frequency, as well as the increase of service frequency on some high performing routes.
Additionally, because ADA service is offered within a ¾ mile corridor of fixed-route service, the paratransit ADA service that RIPTA provides through the RIde Program would also be reduced wherever there is the elimination of a route or a segment of a route.
“Our goal is to ensure we can meet 100% of our scheduled service 100% of the time. In order to do that, as painful as it is, we must make prudent changes, particularly given our workforce challenges,” said Scott Avedisian, RIPTA CEO. “In the meantime, we are actively working with our union to create a new starting wage for drivers that should address our recruiting challenges and help RIPTA better execute its mission.”
Avedisian added that “aligning our current staffing levels with the service we can provide will eliminate missed trips and improve the passenger experience.” RIPTA plans to reinstate service based on ridership – and in line with statewide Transit Master Plan goals – once the Agency can significantly increase its workforce to offset retirements.
Public hearings will address service changes to Routes 4, 6, 9x, 13, 14, 16, 18, 21, 29, 30, 51, 54, 58, 64, 65x, 69, 71, 72, 75, 87, 92 and 95x and the elimination of Routes QX, 10x, 12x, 23, 59x, 61x, 68, 73, 76, 80 and 88. Additionally, emergency temporary service changes made in Fall 2022 to Routes 22, 27, 28, 31, 50, 55, 56, 57, 60, 63, and 67 will also be addressed.
The proposed service 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)
Trip Time Changes for Better Service Reliability
Route 14 (West Bay)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech)
Route 21 (Reservoir/Malls/ CCRI)
Route 58 (Mineral Spring/North Providence)
Route 72 (Weeden/Central Falls)
Route 92 (East Side/Federal Hill/RI College)
Regular Route Eliminations
Route QX (Quonset Express)
Route 10x (North Scituate Park-n-Ride)
Route 12x (Arctic/117 Express Park-n-Ride)
Route 23 (Arctic/Crompton/Centre of NE)
Route 59x (North Smithfield/Lincoln Mall)
Route 61x (Tiverton/East Bay Park-n-Ride)
Route 68 (CCRI Newport/Memorial Blvd./First Beach)
Route 73 (Mineral Spring/Twin River/CCRI)
Route 76 (Central Ave.)
Route 80 (Armistice Blvd.)
Route 88 (Simmons Village Service)
Route Segment Eliminations – Eliminated Segment
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo) – This route will no longer serve Colony House Route 14 (West Bay) – North Kingstown to Narragansett (Saturday only)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech) – New England Tech to Quonset
Route 58 (Mineral Spring/North Providence) – Mineral Spring to Rte. 146 (one trip affected)
Elimination of Saturday Service
Route 18 (Union Ave.)
Route 58 (Mineral Spring/North Providence)
Route 64 (Newport/URI/Kingston Station)
Elimination of Sunday Service
Route 4 (Warwick Ave./West Shore)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech)
Route 71 (Broad St./Central Falls)
Route 69 (URI/Galilee)
Elimination of All Weekend Service
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo)
Route 13 (Coventry/Arctic/CCRI)
Route 29 (CCRI Warwick/Conimicut)
Route 30 (Arlington/Oaklawn)
Route 75 (Dexter/Lincoln Mall)
Reduction in Trip Frequency or Number of Trips
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo)
Route 9x (Pascoag Express)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech)
Route 18 (Union Ave.)
Route 21 (Reservoir/Malls/CCRI)
Route 64 (Kingston/URI) – Route 64 has been re-aligned to operate express via Rte. 138 East – Rte. 1 South – Rte. 138 East. Route 64 will no longer operate on Boston Neck Rd. or service URI Bay Campus.
Route 65x (Wakefield Express)
Route 87 (Fairmount/Walnut Hill)
Route 95x (Westerly Express)
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 in February and the Board will vote on the proposed service changes at its Board meeting. If approved, service changes would go into effect on Saturday, April 6, 2024. For more information on these changes, passengers can visit RIPTA.com/PublicHearings.
Schedule for Public Hearings
The public hearing schedule is as follows:
Monday, February 12, 2024
Barrington Public Library
281 County Road, Barrington
Times: 12:30pm – 2pm & 5:30pm – 7pm
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 – POSTPONED DUE TO WINTER STORMPawtucket Public Library13 Summer Street, PawtucketTimes: 12:30pm – 2pm & 5:30pm – 7pm
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Providence Foundation
30 Exchange Terrace, Providence
Times: 12:30pm – 2pm & 5:30pm – 7pm
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Newport CCRI Auditorium
One John H. Chafee Blvd., Newport
Times: 12:30pm – 2pm & 5:30pm – 7pm
Monday, February 19, 2024
URI Memorial Union, Room 360
50 Lower College Road, Kingston
Times: 12:30pm – 2pm & 5:30pm – 7pm
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Blackstone Valley Visitor Center
175 Main Street, Pawtucket
Time: 5:30pm – 7pm
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
West Warwick Public Library
1043 Main Street, West Warwick
Times: 12:30pm – 2pm & 5:30pm – 7pm
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).
For information on RIPTA services, passengers may call (401) 781-9400 or visit RIPTA.com