Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
 | |
 A route 51 bus at Kennedy Plaza in 2008 | |
| Founded | 1966 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 705 Elmwood Avenue Providence, Rhode Island united states |
| Locale | Rhode Island (statewide) |
| Service type | transit bus, paratransit, demand responsive transport |
| Routes | 59 fixed-route 7 demand-response |
| Hubs | 3 (Kennedy Plaza, Newport Gateway Center, Pawtucket/Central Falls station) |
| Lounge | 3 (one at each hub) |
| Fleet | 229 buses, 13 vans, 72 paratransit vans[1] |
Daily ridership | 40,300 (weekdays, Q2Â 2026)[2] |
Annual ridership | 12,529,300 (2025)[3] |
| Fuel type | Diesel, Diesel-electric, CNG, Battery-electric |
Chief executive | Christopher Durand |
| Website | www.ripta.com |
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) provides public transportation, primarily buses, in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The main hub of the RIPTA system is Kennedy Plaza, a large bus terminal in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Average daily ridership as of the second quarter of 2026 is 40,300.[2] The agency operates 59 fixed-route bus routes and 7 demand-responsive routes, together serving 37 out of 39 Rhode Island municipalities.[1]
Service
[edit]The agency operates 59 fixed-route bus routes and 7 demand-responsive routes, together serving 37 out of 39 Rhode Island municipalities.[1] Paratransit service is branded RIde with a service area corresponding to that of non-express bus routes.[4] RIPTA operates a fleet of 229 buses, 13 cutaway vans for Flex services, and 72 paratransit vans. They are maintained at two garages in Providence and one in Newport.[1]
Fares for fixed-route and Flex trips are $2, with day and monthly passes available. Reduced fares are available for people over 65 and with disabilities. Fares can be paid with cash or with Wave smart card or mobile app, or RIde fares are $4.[5]
In July 2025, RIPTA proposed service reductions affecting 58 routes, citing a $17.6 million budget deficit.[6] The proposal would eliminate 17 routes, 6 route segments, 9 weekend service routes, and 8 additional routes operating on either Saturday or Sunday.[7][8]
Routes
[edit]
RIPTA operates 59 year-round bus routes: 50 local routes, one rapid route, and eight limited-service express routes. Most of RIPTA's fixed-route bus lines are centered on three major hubs: Kennedy Plaza in Providence, Pawtucket/Central Falls station in Pawtucket, and Gateway Center in Newport.
The R-Line is a limited-stop "Rapid Bus" route between Cranston and Pawtucket via Providence. It has some bus rapid transit (BRT) characteristics, including frequent service and transit signal priority, but runs in mixed traffic without dedicated lanes. Nine routes combine to provide five-minute-or-better headways in the Downtown Transit Connector between Providence station and the Hospital District. This corridor has BRT elements including limited stops, bus shelters with real-time information, bus/bike lanes, and signal priority.[9]
In addition to fixed-route services, RIPTA also provides Flex Service service, primarily settled around less populated areas in the state. These demand-responsive routes have fixed schedules for certain stops, but allow passengers to reserve trips within certain geographic areas.[10] RIPTA operates special services to connect with the seasonal Providence–Newport ferry, to provide seasonal access to South County beaches, and to serve Providence Public School District high schools and Ocean State Academy Learning Center regular high school students.
List of routes
[edit]| Number | Route |
|---|---|
| R-Line | Broad/North Main |
| 1 | Eddy/Hope/Benefit |
| 3 | Oakland Beach |
| 4 | Warwick Neck |
| 6 | Prairie / Roger Williams Park Zoo |
| 9x | Pascoag Park-n-Ride |
| 10x | North Scituate Park-n-Ride |
| 12x | Arctic/117 Express Park-n-Ride |
| 13 | Coventry/Arctic/CCRI |
| 14 | West Bay |
| 16 | Bald Hill/NEIT/Quonset |
| 17 | Dyer/Pocasset |
| 18 | Union Ave |
| 19 | Plainfield/Westminster |
| 20 | Elmwood Ave/T.F. Green Airport |
| 21 | Reservoir/Garden City/CCRI |
| 22 | Pontiac Ave |
| 23 | Arctic/Crompton/Centre of New England |
| 24L | Newport/Fall River/Providence |
| 27 | Broadway/Manton |
| 28 | Broadway/Hartford |
| 29 | CCRI Warwick/Conimicut |
| 30 | Arlington/Oaklawn |
| 31 | Cranston St |
| 32 | East Providence/Wampanoag/Seekonk Square |
| 33 | Riverside |
| 34 | East Providence/Seekonk Square |
| 35 | Rumford/Newport Ave |
| 40 | Butler/Elmgrove |
| 50 | Douglas Ave/Bryant University |
| 51 | Charles St/Twin River/CCRI |
| 54 | Lincoln/ |