RIPTA service changes postponed amid wage increase monitoring
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) announced Thursday that it will postpone proposed service changes set to go in effect April 6.
The postponement will take place in order to monitor the effects of new driver wage increases on the recruitment and retention of new drivers.
A collectively bargained agreement which raised the starting driver wage from $21.71 to $25.33 per hour is a factor, and RIPTA hopes the increase will address the ongoing driver shortage.
The changes proposed would eliminate or reduce underperforming routes from service and shift focus to better performing routes.
Passengers might see an increase of canceled trips as RIPTA onboards new drivers and with the postponement of service changes.
The postponed proposed changes are as follows:
Increase in Trip Frequency or Number of Trips
Route 51 (Charles St./Twin River/CCRI)
Route 54 (Lincoln/Woonsocket)
Route 72 (Weeden/Central Falls)
Route 92 (East Side/Federal Hill/RI College)
Trip Time Changes for Better Service Reliability
Route 14 (West Bay)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech)
Route 21 (Reservoir/Malls/ CCRI)
Route 58 (Mineral Spring/North Providence)
Route 72 (Weeden/Central Falls)
Route 92 (East Side/Federal Hill/RI College)
Regular Route Eliminations
Route QX (Quonset Express)
Route 10x (North Scituate Park-n-Ride)
Route 12x (Arctic/117 Express Park-n-Ride)
Route 23 (Arctic/Crompton/Centre of NE)
Route 59x (North Smithfield/Lincoln Mall)
Route 61x (Tiverton/East Bay Park-n-Ride)
Route 68 (CCRI Newport/Memorial Blvd./First Beach)
Route 73 (Mineral Spring/Twin River/CCRI)
Route 76 (Central Ave.)
Route 80 (Armistice Blvd.)
Route 88 (Simmons Village Service)
Route Segment Eliminations Eliminated Segment
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo) This route will no longer serve Colony House
Route 14 (West Bay) North Kingstown to Narragansett (Saturday only)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech) New England Tech to Quonset
Route 58 (Mineral Spring/North Providence) Mineral Spring to Rte. 146 (one trip affected)
Elimination of Saturday Service
Route 18 (Union Ave.)
Route 58 (Mineral Spring/North Providence)
Route 64 (Newport/URI/Kingston Station)
Elimination of Sunday Service
Route 4 (Warwick Ave./West Shore)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech)
Route 71 (Broad St./Central Falls)
Route 69 (URI/Galilee)
Elimination of All Weekend Service
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo)
Route 13 (Coventry/Arctic/CCRI)
Route 29 (CCRI Warwick/Conimicut)
Route 30 (Arlington/Oaklawn)
Route 75 (Dexter/Lincoln Mall)
Reduction in Trip Frequency or Number of Trips
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo)
Route 9x (Pascoag Express)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech)
Route 18 (Union Ave.)
Route 21 (Reservoir/Malls/CCRI)
Route 65x (Wakefield Express)
Route 87 (Fairmount/Walnut Hill)
Route 95x (Westerly Express)
