Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

RIPTA Postpones Service Changes

 

RIPTA to implement real-time missed service notifications beginning March 14, 2024

 

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) announced today that the proposed service changes scheduled for April 6, 2024, will be postponed to give RIPTA additional time to monitor the effects of the new driver wage increase designed to attract and retain new drivers.

 

“We have listened to the concerns of our riders and the community,” said Scott Avedisian, Chief Executive Officer. “The decision to postpone service cuts reflects our commitment to providing reliable and accessible public transit services. We will use this time to make informed decisions as we continue to build our workforce to meet the needs of our passengers."

 

The recent approval of a collective bargaining agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Division 618 has resulted in a significant increase in the starting driver wage from $21.71 to $25.33 per hour. RIPTA is hopeful this measure intended to address the ongoing driver shortage will steadily build RIPTA’s workforce ensuring the reliability of services.

 

RIPTA makes regular service adjustments three times a year in response to seasonal changes and/or passenger use. Instead of implementing a fourth service adjustment on April 6, 2024, RIPTA will revise the original proposed changes to mitigate the impact on passengers. This new plan will be presented to the Board of Directors at its next board meeting on Thursday, March 28, 2024. If approved, the new proposed changes will be implemented on Saturday, June 15, 2024, as part of the Authority’s seasonal service adjustments.

 

The proposed service changes were meant to recalibrate RIPTA schedules with the level of service it can consistently run, so that service is accurate and reliable for passengers. With the postponement of service changes, passengers may see an increase in cancelled trips as RIPTA continues to onboard new drivers. The Authority will use Transit app and Google Maps to notify passengers in case of any cancelled trips, aiming to improve service reliability for all riders. While RIPTA’s goal is to never miss a trip, sometimes the Authority must cancel a trip due to a mechanical issue or unforeseen driver availability. When that happens, passengers can check Transit App to see if a trip has been cancelled and plan accordingly. Riders will know a trip has been cancelled when the departure time has a real-time symbol but is turned grey and is crossed out. Click here to see what a cancelled trip looks like in the Transit app.

 

 

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