Facing budget deficit, RIPTA proposes cuts to most bus routes, eliminating 16 routes altogether
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'A first-class transit system is essential for driving economic development in our state,' RIPTA CEO Christopher Durand said in a statement. 'Unfortunately, revenues have not kept up with operating costs and with federal COVID relief funding being fully spent, the Authority must now amend our services to align with the resources we have.'
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Through the proposed cuts, RIPTA is seeking to eliminate 16 routes altogether, including a mix of regular routes, flex, and park and ride services. (Those routes are listed below).
Other changes include reductions in trip frequency or numbers of trips on 30 routes, elimination of all weekend service on nine routes, elimination of some weekend service on eight routes, and the cancellation of some entire segments on six routes, RIPTA said.
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RIPTA officials said the agency relied on an independent efficiency study conducted this year to determine the proposed reductions and cuts.
'We closely analyzed key performance metrics, including ridership levels, service productivity and the cost per passenger trip of every route,' RIPTA spokesperson Cristy Raposo Perry wrote in an email when asked how RIPTA chose which routes to consider eliminating, and where service rollbacks could be made.
'Wherever possible, we spread the reductions across the system to minimize the impact on any one area,' Raposo Perry said.
Last month, Durand said RIPTA would also turn to raising fares and laying off as many as
On Thursday, officials said RIPTA will conduct a study to analyze impacts of a potential fare increase on 'ridership, revenue, and equity.'
'The study will help determine whether fare adjustments could be implemented in a way that supports the agency's long-term financial sustainability while minimizing hardship for riders,' RIPTA said.
Asked about the potential for layoffs, Raposo Perry wrote RIPTA is 'still finalizing our plan and are taking into consideration things like retaining the employees hired to resolve the
'With the mandated RIde Anywhere program becoming permanent, we need to grow our paratransit division,' Raposo Perry wrote. 'There is also an opportunity to improve the quality of service provided by the paratransit program by reducing the number of trips outsourced. Collectively these changes will reduce the number of employees that we may have to layoff. Our goal is zero, but we are still analyzing the final budget due to these factors.'
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RIPTA was left with
The agency initially faced a
Last month, Durand said RIPTA was able to
Durand said in his statement Thursday the agency also tapped on one-time federal reimbursements and reallocated federal funding.
'While the timely implementation of these service changes is necessary, we will continue to do everything we can to preserve services that help people get to work, educational and training opportunities, and medical appointments,' Durand said. 'As we prepare for these changes, please monitor our
With public hearings on the proposal days away, some transit advocates who spoke at Thursday's RIPTA board meeting before the potential cuts were unveiled said bus riders haven't been given enough time to consider what's being proposed.
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'This should have been publicized a lot better. It should have been made more transparent,' said Randall Rose, of the Kennedy Plaza Resilience Coalition. 'It's not reasonable to expect the public to comment when this information is not being unveiled yet.'
Rose said he places the blame for the cuts squarely on state lawmakers – not RIPTA.
'They chose to put RIPTA through this,' Rose said.
Here are the routes that may be eliminated
Regular Routes:
Route 23 (Arctic/Crompton/Centre of New England)
Route 68 (CCRI Newport/Memorial Boulevard/First Beach)
Route 69 (Narragansett/Galilee)
Route 73 (Mineral Spring/Twin River/CCRI)
Route 75 (Dexter/Lincoln Mall)
Route 76 (Central Avenue); Route 80 (Armistice Blvd.)
Route 88 (Simmons Village Service)
Route 89 (Walmart Cranston)
Flex Service Routes:
Flex 231 (South Aquidneck)
Flex 301 Rural Ride (Westerly/Hope Valley)
Park & Ride Routes
:
Route 9x (Pascoag Park & Ride)
Route 12x (Arctic/117 Express Park & Ride)
Route 59x (North Smithfield/Lincoln Mall Park & Ride)
Route 65x (Wakefield Park & Ride)
Route 95x (Westerly Park & Ride)
Route 61x, or the 'Tiverton/East Bay Park & Ride,' will have two weekday roundtrips eliminated
Christopher Gavin can be reached at
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