SAVE RIPTA

RIPTA in Crisis

Due to a budget shortfall left by Gov. McKee and the General Assembly, RIPTA has reduced service across the system, increasing wait times and cancelling routes on the weekends. Our communities deserve elected leaders who care about the public transportation that so many rely on to get to school, work, appointments and all their everyday needs. The Save RIPTA Coalition is working with the community, drivers and the union membership, as well as elected members and leadership in the General Assembly to identify sustainable funding for RIPTA. Ensuring RIPTA can meet the needs of Rhode Islanders at this critical moment for our economy and climate has never been more important.

“Bus Cuts” by Maya Kelly

Service Cuts Impact Report

Please wait while flipbook is loading. For more related info, FAQs and issues please refer to DearFlip WordPress Flipbook Plugin Help documentation.

[PDF] 2025 Service Cuts Impact Report | Service Cuts Data & Appendices

Take Action!

Now, we need YOU to tell state leaders to reverse the service cuts and invest in the future of public transit in Rhode Island! Tell lawmakers to read the Service Cuts Impact Report and decide whether this is an acceptable state for Rhode Island’s only public transit agency to be in. Use the form below to send a message, it only takes a few minutes and your message will be distributed to your elected officials and top state leadership!

📬Send a Message Now

2026 Save RIPTA Legislative Package

$5 million Budget Allocation [McKenney/Alzate]

$5 million budget allocation in FY ‘27 budget to restore the 2025 service cuts.

*Increase RIPTA’s share of the Highway Maintenance Account to 20% [Zurier S2095/Cortvriend]*

Increases RIPTA’s share of Highway Maintenance Account funds from 10% to 20%. An 80/20 split for surface transportation funding between highways and mass transit has been the standard in Congress since 1982.

Estimated annual revenue to RIPTA: $10 million.

*top priority bill

Rideshare Sales Tax Reallocation [Britto/Stewart]

Allocates the current 7% sales tax collected on all Uber/Lyft rides to RIPTA’s RIde Anywhere operational budget.

Estimated annual revenue to RIPTA: $10-$15M.

Commuter Transportation Benefits Act [Bissailion S 2323/Hull H 7363]

Requires any company with 500 or more employees to provide transit passes to employees as a pre-tax transportation fringe benefit, to generate more revenue for RIPTA via its Wave to Work program. Estimated annual revenue to RIPTA: TBD.

✏️Testimony Guide

Transit Master Plan Bond Referenda [Vargas/Tanzi]

Puts forward a bond for $100M in Capital Improvements for implementation of the 2026 Transit Master Plan. Capital assets would include updated technology to grow ridership and improve fare collection, bus stop improvements and safety, and infrastructure for high capacity transit lines. Would not be used to fund the proposed downtown Transit Center.

Car Inspection Fee Increase [Vargas/Furtado]

Raises the standard inspection fee on personal cars and motorcycles, with the increase going to the Highway Maintenance Account. The last increase was in 2014.

Estimated annual revenue to RIPTA: TBD.

RIPTA Board Restructuring [Mack/Tanzi]

Reverses the 2023 law making the Director of RIDOT the Board Chair of RIPTA, and updates, clarifies, and strengthens other Board appointment guidelines. Not a revenue bill.

Motor Fuel Tax – Index Allocation to RIPTA to Inflation and Two-year Inflation Rate [Zurier/Stewart]

Indexes RIPTA’s 2025 share of gas tax revenues (29%) to inflation and changes how the gas tax is impacted by inflation. Currently, the tax is only evaluated and increased against inflation every two years using the previous year’s inflation rate. The bill would adjust that so the increase would take into consideration the rate of inflation over the full two years, increasing the total amount of gas tax collected, and thus the amount RIPTA receives.

News Coverage

Lobby Days!

Thank you to everyone who attended our Lobby Days events in 2025! Stay tuned for future opportunities to get involved.

Join Nicole O’Loughlin, Save RIPTA Campaign Organizer and other advocates to lobby state legislators in support of more transit operations funding. Nicole will introduce you to your State Representatives and Senators as well as other lawmakers so you can tell them your story and why it’s important for you to have a reliable public transportation system to get around the state.

Efficiency Study Draft Documents

FINAL Efficiency Study

Task 3 Memo: Peer Analysis

Task 4 Memo: Performance Operations Assessment Report

Task 5 Memo: Revenue & Cost Drivers

Check out our video from the 2024 Session highlighting the year’s campaign!

Public transportation is a racial and economic justice issue. According to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s 2019 State of the System Report, a majority of RIPTA riders (53%) identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), even though they represent just 14% of the state’s overall population per the U.S. Census.  Also according to the State of the System Report, 80% of RIPTA’s existing ridership has a household income of less than $35,000 annually and 39% have a household income of less than $10,000 annually.  The highest percentage of Rhode Islanders without access to a private vehicle live in the urban communities of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, North Providence, Woonsocket, Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick and Newport. 81% of RIPTA riders do not own a vehicle.

As we grapple with Washington Bridge induced congestion and our unprecedented climate crisis, there has never been a more urgent time for an increased, dedicated revenue source to sustain and expand a public transportation system that the economy, environment, and residents of Rhode Island require and deserve.

The Save RIPTA Coalition needs YOUR action to save and expand RIPTA. Please join PVD Streets mailing list, follow the Providence Streets Coalition or follow @SaveRIPTA for future updates and action alerts.

Save RIPTA Coalition

The Save RIPTA is a broad coalition of community organizations, labor unions, legislative champions and everyday Rhode Islanders who are calling upon our state leaders to save and expand RIPTA in our next state budget. Any group that is supportive of this mission can join – there is no set time requirement. Some, but not all members are also partners of the Providence Streets Coalition. The Save RIPTA Coalition includes:

Labor Unions/Groups:

  • RI AFL-CIO
  • Amalgamated Transit Union Local 618
  • LiUNA Local 808
  • Carpenters Local 330
  • SEIU Local 1199
  • Rhode Island Committee on Occupational Safety and Health

Community Organizations:

  • Rhode Island Transit Riders
  • Progreso Latino
  • Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty
  • Climate Jobs Rhode Island
  • Central Providence Opportunities – Health Equity Zone
  • Providence Student Union
  • Conservation Law Foundation
  • Economic Progress Institute
  • Community Libraries of Providence
  • Providence Preservation Society
  • Climate Action Rhode Island
  • Groundwork Rhode Island
  • Providence Bike Collective
  • Haus of Codec
  • West Broadway Neighborhood Association
  • Trinity Square Together
  • Elmwood Neighborhood Association
  • South Elmwood Neighborhood Association
  • Washington Park Association
  • Rhode Island Environmental Education Association
  • Rhode Island Organizing Project
  • Rhode Island Association of Railroad Passengers
  • Women’s Fund of RI
  • Young Voices Rhode Island
  • Housing Network of RI
  • AARP Rhode Island

Contact us: Please get in touch with Nicole if you want to join or get involved in the campaign!

Providence Streets Coalition is a registered 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. Your support allows our grassroots advocacy to have an even bigger impact across Rhode Island. Consider making a gift today. Thank you!