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    1. Bus
    2. Paratransit

    RIPTA extends RIde Anywhere pilot program

    Dec. 26, 2024
    The pilot program provides statewide curb-to-curb access for qualified passengers with disabilities who are currently restricted to traveling within the ADA service area.
    Related To: Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
    RIPTA
    a RIde passenger disembarks the paratransit van in a wheelchair
    RIPTA's RIde Anywhere Pilot Program has provided a 5,974 trips, including 895 trips taken by new users and 4,899 trips since its launch January 2024.

    The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority's (RIPTA) year-long RIde Anywhere Pilot Program will be extended until further notice. 

    RIPTA currently offers paratransit service through its RIde Paratransit Program, which provides service for people with disabilities who are traveling within 3/4-mile of a fixed-bus route and cannot independently take the bus or travel to and from a bus stop. This defined service area complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which assures that people who cannot use the regular fixed-route bus have access to public transportation. RIPTA charges $4.00 per one-way paratransit trip; this is two times the standard fixed-route fare as authorized by the ADA and helps defray the cost of this paratransit service.

    Under the RIde Anywhere Pilot Program, qualified Rhode Island residents can request curb-to-curb service for locations within the state that are outside of the 3/4-mile radius. Participants must complete the standard RIde paratransit application and be accepted before enrolling in the pilot program. Current qualified RIde program passengers do not need to re-apply to participate in the pilot.

    “The RIde Anywhere Pilot Program has been instrumental in expanding transportation access for individuals with disabilities, and continuing it allows us to gather more data and further explore how we can better meet the needs of Rhode Islanders who cannot access our fixed-route service,” said RIPTA CEO Christopher Durand.

    Since launching in January 2024, the pilot program has provided 5,974 trips, including 895 trips taken by new users and 4,899 trips taken by existing RIde customers. This data highlights the ability of both new and existing RIde customers to travel to locations across the state. Through Nov. 30, 2024, the total cost to the agency of this service has been $333,035.61. 

    RIPTA operates its own paratransit vehicles and staffs the RIde division with a team that includes customer service representatives, schedulers, dispatchers, maintenance staff, drivers and management. Approved taxi companies supplement RIde service as needed.

    Rhode Island state senators and representatives introduced S 0921 and H 6259 with the goal of expanding disabled Rhode Islanders’ access to public transportation through a pilot program. At the direction of the fiscal year 2024 Rhode Island State Budget, RIPTA launched the pilot with a self-funded budget of $500,000. By June 1, 2025, RIPTA is required to submit a report to the General Assembly detailing program outcomes and recommendations.