Transit advocates call on state lawmakers to fund RIPTA beyond governor’s proposal

One by one, over a dozen transit activists sat before the House Finance Subcommittee on Environment and Transportation Wednesday, all pleading for the same thing: Lawmakers need to increase funding for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA).

RIPTA’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget projects spending roughly $143.7 million on its operations, but that plan won’t be level funded like previous years, as the agency will lose $18.1 million in federal relief that has helped it maintain service.

Gov. Dan McKee’s recommended fiscal year 2025 budget would give RIPTA $10 million in unspent COVID relief funds to address that looming fiscal cliff — on the condition the bus agency conducts an efficiency study into its operations. RIPTA administrators requested the full $18.1 million.

That leaves agency administrators on the hook to find ways to close the remaining $8.1 million gap.

It also leaves a lot of bus riders unhappy with state leadership.

“Our governor needs to do better or get out of his seat,” Providence-based community organizer Terri Wright told the subcommittee.

But RIPTA is also challenged by a 47.6% drop in ridership between 2013 and 2023, according to figures provided in a presentation House fiscal staff gave the subcommittee. The subcommittee also heard budget presentations from the Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Authority and the state’s Department of Transportation.

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Meanwhile, buses in service increased by 18%.

“Essentially that means we’re running more buses for fewer people,” Rhode Island Director of the Office of Budget and Management Brian Daniels told the subcommittee.

That’s why the governor’s office wants to see a study of RIPTA’s expenses and revenues.

In his written testimony to the subcommittee, RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian said the agency has already prepared a request for proposals for a contractor to review operations. Bids are due to RIPTA on Monday, March 26.

RIPTA, under McKee’s proposed budget, is mandated to complete the study by Jan. 1, 2025.

But how the agency will fill the remaining $8 million gap is unclear, as Daniels said it’s possible RIPTA won’t find a way to raise those funds.

“In that case we would look in the governor’s budget for next year for revision,” he said.

A House resolution sponsored by Rep. Karen Alzate, a Pawtucket Democrat, could fill that gap and more, transit advocates say. The resolution allocates $78 million in the fiscal year 2025 budget toward RIPTA’s proposed spending plan. That includes $46 million, granted annually, for the state’s Transit Master Plan (TMP). The TMP calls for shifting to cleaner transportation alternatives like frequent buses and light rail.

“This is not ornamental, it’s fundamental,” said Providence Streets Coalition organizer Liza Burkin. “We should be visionary, finding ways to grow service and bring people back in.”

Burkin was not alone in asking the legislators to consider passing Alzate’s resolution. The subcommittee received more than 40 letters touting the need to give RIPTA more than the governor’s proposed $10 million.

“This will be a Band-Aid on what is currently a gashing, critical wound,” wrote Cameron LaFreniere, who lives around Providence’s Wayland Square.

Alzate’s resolution also allocates $24 million toward the hiring and training of new bus drivers. Last month, RIPTA’s board of directors unanimously approved raising starting pay from $21.71 an hour to $25.33.

Between Feb. 22 and March 21, RIPTA received 122 driver applications. Agency spokesperson Cristy Raposo Perry said Thursday that does not mean they will all become new hires.

All applicants, she said, still need necessary endorsements to obtain their commercial driver’s license.

Transit advocates said passing the house resolution is crucial in maintaining a recent pay bump as there currently is no long-term funding to keep those rates.

“We cannot allow for RIPTA to run into the bottleneck issue where they no longer have the funds necessary to employ these interested people who want to be public transit drivers,” Providence Rep. David Morales, one of the resolution’s cosponsors, told the subcommittee.

Morales said McKee’s $10 million allocation is a good start, but there needs to be additional state investments in the finalized budget.

“If we are to take the governor’s budget as is and not make any further investments in RIPTA heading into June, there will be severe consequences,” he said.

This story was updated to include the number of driver applications RIPTA received as of March 21.