Ripta - Providence Business News

THE CONNECTION: Passengers board an R.I. Public Transit Authority bus recently at Kennedy Plaza in Providence. PBN PHOTO/CHRISTOPHER ALLEN

RIPTA lawsuit highlights ‘gray area’ in state law

Focus 08/14/2026

A decade-old personal injury lawsuit against the R.I. Public Transit Authority could reshape how translated statements are treated in Rhode Island courtrooms, with attorneys...

Driving Forces: Patrick Crowley

Digital Special Editions 08/14/2026

Patrick Crowley Rhode Island AFL-CIO president PATRICK CROWLEY has never been content to stay in one place. Since 2022, the Rhode Island AFL-CIO president has moved fluidly...

R.I. PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITY CEO Christopher Durand stands in a field next to the Providence train station, one of two parcels being considered for a new central transit hub. PBN FILE PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

Providence transit hub process getting attention from candidates

Government 07/31/2026

For more than a decade, plans to move the R.I. Public Transit Authority’s central bus hub out of Kennedy Plaza in Providence have cycled...

Crowley elected RIPTA board chairman amid funding, service pressures

Industries 06/26/2026

PROVIDENCE – Patrick Crowley was unanimously elected chair of the R.I. Public Transit Authority Board of Directors on Thursday, stepping into the leadership role...

Proposed FY 2027 state budget closes RIPTA funding gap after months...

Economic Activity 06/02/2026

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Public Transit Authority will see its projected funding gap addressed under the proposed fiscal year 2027 state budget, resolving a...

TWO CRUISE SHIPS docked in Newport during a previous summer season. City and tourism officials are concerned about a proposal to increase the fees that large ships are charged during visits to the City of the Sea. COURTESY DISCOVER NEWPORT

McKee’s cruise ship fee proposal creating a storm in Newport

Editor's Choice 04/03/2026

A proposal by Gov. Daniel J. McKee to increase cruise ship passenger fees in Newport has ignited a firestorm among elected officials and business...

TIME CONSCIOUS: Barry Dejasu of East Providence waits at Kennedy Plaza to make his R.I. Public Transit Authority bus home after arriving on a bus from Warwick, where he works. RIPTA service changes have made his commute longer and more complex. PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

WEAKENED CONNECTIONS: RIPTA’s service cuts disrupting sectors of R.I. workforce

Cover Story 02/27/2026

For years, East Providence resident Barry Dejasu’s commute to Warwick followed the same routine: Leave the house at around 7:30 a.m., walk to the...

RIPTA lands $25M federal grant to purchase new hybrid buses

Government 11/19/2025

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Public Transit Authority has received a $25 million federal grant through the Low or No Emission Grant Program to acquire...

THE R.I. PUBLIC Transit Authority launched a new multifamily residential pilot program where property owners and managers of properties with 10 or more units can order free monthly transit passes from the agency and give to tenants for transportation in December and January. / PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

RIPTA launches multifamily residential pilot program offering free passes

Economy 11/10/2025

PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Public Transit Authority launched a pilot program on Monday that will allow multifamily property owners and managers to order free...