Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
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![]() RIPTA Gillig #0517 picks up customers on the #51 line at Kennedy Plaza. | |
Founded | 1966 |
---|---|
Headquarters | 705 Elmwood Avenue Providence, Rhode Island |
Locale | Rhode Island (statewide) |
Service type | transit bus, paratransit, demand responsive transport, rapid transit bus (2014)[1] |
Routes | 62 |
Hubs | 3 (Kennedy Plaza, Newport Gateway Center, Pawtucket Transportation Center) |
Lounge | 3 (one at each hub) |
Fleet | 223 (fixed-route) 16 (Flex) 1 (Spare) [2] |
Daily ridership | 54,735 (2013)[3] |
Fuel type | Diesel, Diesel-electric, CNG |
Chief executive | Ray Studley |
Website | www.ripta.com |
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) provides public transportation, primarily buses, in the state of Rhode Island. The main hub of the RIPTA system is Kennedy Plaza, a large bus terminal in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. The authority serves over 71,000 people a day, in 38 out of 39 Rhode Island communities.[4]
History
RIPTA was created in 1964 by the Rhode Island General Assembly to supervise what had been previously a system of privately run bus and trolley systems. RIPTA began operating buses on July 1, 1966, inheriting services provided previously by the United Transit Company. Ridership had decreased in Rhode Island after the construction of the Interstate Highway System, and although it has never returned to 1940s levels, RIPTA's ridership has increased slightly over the years as services have been expanded and improved upon.[5]
Routes
RIPTA operates services in several categories. All services are operated from two garages: in Providence at 265 Melrose Street and Middletown at 350 Coddington Highway.
Fixed route
Most of RIPTA's fixed-route bus lines are centered around three major hubs in the cities of Providence at Kennedy Plaza, Pawtucket at the Pawtucket Transit Center, and Newport at the Gateway Center. Two routes run between Providence and Newport, and four routes between Providence and Pawtucket. Three routes run between Providence and Warwick Mall, where they connect with a Coventry-Warwick Mall route and a Warwick crosstown route. A single circulator route is operated in Woonsocket; service was expanded in 2011 to allow residents - many of whom do not own cars - to reach shopping areas outside town.[6]
R-Line
The R-Line is a limited-stop "Rapid Bus" route from Cranston to Pawtucket via Providence that combines the former 11 and 99 routes. The R-Line became operational on June 21, 2014.
Trolley service
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Providence20June071914ShelterTunnel.jpg/220px-Providence20June071914ShelterTunnel.jpg)
In 1999, RIPTA introduced its trolley service, providing service using tourist trolley style replica buses manufactured by Chance Coach & Optima Bus on two downtown Providence circulator lines going north and south of Kennedy Plaza and through the East Side Trolley Tunnel, and on a number of lines running through the Newport Gateway Center in Newport.
Demand response/Flex service
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/RIPTA_Flex_Shuttle_0651.jpg/220px-RIPTA_Flex_Shuttle_0651.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/RIPTA_RIde_0141.jpg/220px-RIPTA_RIde_0141.jpg)
In addition to fixed route services, RIPTA also provides Flex Service service primarily settled around less-populated areas in the state, servicing the communities of Bristol, Burrillville, Coventry, Kingston (including the University of Rhode Island), Middletown, Narragansett, Newport, North Smithfield, Portsmouth, South Kingstown, Tiverton, West Warwick, Westerly, and Woonsocket.
Flex Service list
Line | Route |
---|---|
203 | Narragansett Flex |
204 | Westerly Flex |
210 | Kingston Flex |
211 | Kingston Connection |
231 | South Aquidneck Island |
242 | West Warwick/Coventry Flex |
281 | Woonsocket Schedule Flex |
282 | Pascoag/Slatersville Flex |
Hillclimber | (seasonal URI student commuter parking lot loop route) |
RIde is the demand-response service operated by RIPTA, providing primarily paratransit service throughout the service area of RIPTA. The vehicles used for both service are cutaway vans.
Fares
These are the current RIPTA fares.[7]
Base fare | Senior/disabled fare | Transfers | 1-day pass | 7-day pass | Monthly pass | Passes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$2.004 |
|
|
$1.001 | $62 | $232 | $70 3,4 |
|
| |
|
Active fleet
Not included here are cutaway vans normally used on Flex service and RIde paratransit and demand response services. The entire fleet is ADA compliant. Except for buses 1001-1010 (trolley replicas), all buses feature bike racks. spare for bus 0517 (broke downs).
Year | Manufacturer/Model | Length (feet) |
Width (inches) |
Fuel | Fleet numbers | In service |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Gillig Low Floor | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 0516-0536,0538-0550 | 34 |
2009 | Gillig Low Floor | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 0912-0935 | 24 |
2010 | Gillig Trolley Replica | 35 | 102 | Hybrid Diesel-Electric | 1001-1010 | 10 |
2010 | Gillig BRT | 40 | 102 | Hybrid Diesel-Electric | 1021-1073 | 52 |
2010 | Gillig BRT | 35 | 102 | Diesel | 1081-1090 | 10 |
2013 | Gillig BRT | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 1301-1350 | 50 |
2016 | Gillig BRT | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 1601-1642 | 42 |
2018 | Proterra[11] | Battery Electric[12] | 3 (10/22/2018)[13] | |||
Grand total of fixed-route buses: | 225 |
Retired fleet
Since the inception of service in 1966, RIPTA has operated a variety of equipment inherited from predecessor operators, purchased new by the agency, and purchased second-hand from other properties.
Year | Manufacturer/Model | Length (feet) |
Width (inches) |
Fuel | Fleet numbers | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1951 | GMC TDM-4509 | 35 | 96 | Diesel | 501-503 | ex-Transit Line, Inc. same numbers; orig. Short Line 201-202, 204 |
1953 | GMC TDH-5105 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 3801-3845 | ex-UTC same numbers |
1954 | GMC TGH-3102 | 30 | 96 | Gasoline | 413 | ex-Transit Line, Inc. same number; orig. Pawtuxet Valley 50 |
1955 | GMC TGH-3102 | 30 | 96 | Gasoline | 400 | ex-Transit Line, Inc. same number; orig. Orange St. Bus Line 12 |
1956 | GMC TGH-3102 | 30 | 96 | Gasoline | 401-402 | ex-Transit Line, Inc. same numbers |
1957 | GMC TGH-3102 | 30 | 96 | Gasoline | 100, 403 | 100 ex-Cranston Transvan C3, orig. Connecticut Ry & Lighting 414; 403 ex-Transit Line, Inc. same number |
1960 | GMC TGH-3102 | 30 | 96 | Gasoline | 404-407 | ex-Transit Line, Inc. same numbers; 406-407 ex-Almeida Bus Lines 43-44 |
1960 | GMC TDH-4516 | 35 | 102 | Diesel | 0801-0805, 1801-1815 | ex-UTC same numbers |
1962 | GMC TDH-5301 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 5003 | ex-MTA/MBTA 275 |
1963 | GMC TDH-5303 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 5004-5014 | ex-MTA/MBTA 5059, 5081, 5056, 5061, 5073, 5052, 5087, 5084, 5039, 5076, 5049 |
1964 | GMC TDH-3501 | 30 | 96 | Diesel | 505-506 | ex-Auch Inter-Borough Transit 643, 642 |
1965 | GMC TGH-3501 | 30 | 96 | Gasoline | 408-409 | ex-Transit Line, Inc. same numbers |
1965 | GMC TDH-3501 | 30 | 96 | Diesel | 507-508 | ex-Auch Inter-Borough Transit 651-652; 508 orig. Huntingdon Coach 402 |
1966 | GMC TGH-3501 | 30 | 96 | Gasoline | 410 | ex-Transit Line, Inc. same number |
1966 | GMC SDM-5302 | 40 | 96 | Diesel | 4001 | ex-Short Line/Bonanza 6623 |
1966 | GMC TDH-5303 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 5001 | ex-MBTA 6020 |
1966 | GMC TDH-4519 | 35 | 96 | Diesel | 6001-6102 | |
1967 | GMC SDM-5302 | 40 | 96 | Diesel | 4002-4004 | ex-Short Line/Bonanza 6724-6726 |
1967 | GMC TDH-5303 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 5002 | ex-MBTA 6154 |
1970 | GMC PD-4905 | 40 | 96 | Diesel | 701-702 | ex-Bonanza 7011, 7010 |
1970 | GMC T6H-4521 | 35 | 96 | Diesel | 7001-7030 | |
1970 | GMC T6H-5306 | 40 | 96 | Diesel | 8001-8009 | |
1970 | GMC T6H-5306A | 35 | 96 | Diesel | 9001-9006 | |
1976 | GMC T6H-4523 | 35 | 96 | Diesel | 761-769 | |
1978 | GMC RTS TW7603 | 35 | 96 | Diesel | 7801-7858, 7861-7879 | |
1980 | TMC CityCruiser T-30 | 30 | 96 | Diesel | 801-804 | |
1981 | GMC RTS T8J204 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 8101-8134 | |
1983 | Neoplan AN-460A | 60 | 102 | Diesel | 831-835 | |
1985 | GMC RTS T8J204 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 4034, 4136, 4170, 4186 | ex-NYCTA same numbers |
1986 | GMC RTS T8J206 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 4361, 4365-4366, 4368, 4384, 4386, 4388-4389, 4405, 4473, 4493, 4495 | ex-NYCTA same numbers |
1985 | Volvo B10M | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 8501-8555 | |
1988 | Neoplan AN440A | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 8801-8864 | |
1990 | TMC RTS T80206 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 9001-9028 | |
1992 | TMC RTS T80206 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 9201-9248 | |
1998 | Nova Bus RTS RTNFD82 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 9801-9850 | |
1999 | Chance Coach AH-28 | 28 | 96 | CNG | 1-15 | |
1999 | Nova Bus RTS RTNFD62 | 30 | 102 | Diesel | 9930-9934 | |
2000 | Nova Bus RTS T82VN | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 0030-0057 | |
2001 | Orion V 05.501 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 0101-0127 | >27 |
2001 | Chance Coach AH-28 | 28 | 96 | CNG (16 converted to diesel) | 16-19 | |
2001 | New Flyer C30LF | 30 | 102 | CNG | 0201-0205 | |
2003 | Optima Bus AH-28 | 28 | ||||
1996 | NovaBus RTS T70206 | 35 | 102 | Diesel | 9601-9602 | 2 |
2004 | Orion V 05.501 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 0471-0485 | 15 |
2004 | Orion V 05.501 | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 0461-0470 | 10 |
2005 | Gillig Low Floor | 40 | 102 | Diesel | 0515 0537 | 2 (retired) |
References
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-06-25. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ RIPTA stats from the NTD Program
- ^ http://www.ripta.com/about/
- ^ "RIPTA Accomplishments in FY2006". Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on 2007-07-04. Retrieved 2007-06-06.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) (25,943,883 boardings in 2007) / 365 days = 71,079 daily - ^ RIPTA History
- ^ Saslow, Eli (16 March 2013). "Food stamps put Rhode Island town on monthly boom-and-bust cycle". Washington Post. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
- ^ RIPTA fares
- ^ In the final Assembly hours, college-student bus passes are the hot topic | General Assembly | projo.com | The Providence Journal
- ^ Lincoln Technical Institute Signs On for RIPTA's U-PASS Program
- ^ http://m.ripta.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/0/6dedc10bbbc006853e273c3a797a66df/pdf/flex211_sep12_fin.pdf
- ^ https://www.ripta.com/stuff/contentmgr/files/0/9315b5aba42359606d1c79ec41f93e96/files/bod_minutes_7.17.18_final.pdf
- ^ https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-delivers-15-million-to-ripta-for-new-electric-buses
- ^ https://upriseri.com/news/transportation/ripta/2018-09-24-ripta/
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
- Intermodal transportation authorities in Rhode Island
- Transit agencies in the United States
- Bus transportation in Rhode Island
- Providence metropolitan area
- Public transportation in Rhode Island
- Transit authorities with natural gas buses
- Government agencies established in 1964
- 1964 establishments in Rhode Island