PROVIDENCE – Public transit riders can now ride one of Rhode Island’s most popular bus routes free for one year.
R.I. Public Transit Authority on Thursday launched a fare-free pilot program on the R-Line that connects Cranston, Providence and Pawtucket.
Facing the Holidays with a Cancer Diagnosis
The holidays are often painted as a time of joy, tradition, and togetherness. But for…
Learn More
The pilot is being funded by a $2.5 million allocation from the state budget, the result of legislation sponsored by Sen. Meghan E. Kallman, D-Pawtucket, and Sen. Leonela Felix, D-Pawtucket.
“We want to thank the Senate for this funding opportunity which will allow us to learn what free fare programs may mean for public transportation,” RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian said. “This pilot will give more people an opportunity to ride our busiest route.”
The R-Line program is the second free line RIPTA is offering this year. In March, the agency launched the Ride Free Central Falls pilot program, which allows passengers to board for free in Central Falls when using a Wave smart card or mobile app.
“This [R-Line program] complements our ongoing free fare pilot program in Central Falls, and together these initiatives will guide fare discussions in the future,” Avedisian said. “We look forward to sharing the findings with our elected officials in order to ensure continued growth of ridership on RIPTA and sustainable public transportation for our state.”
RIPTA plans to study the results of the R-Line pilot program to analyze a variety of factors, including the effects on ridership, other RIPTA routes, and paratransit service; service reliability; the financial effects on RIPTA and transit riders; and environmental effects.
