RIPTA's Board of Directors has postponed its vote on proposed service cuts.
The delay comes after Governor Dan McKee sent a letter urging the board to develop a more balanced plan with fare increases and targeted route reductions instead of across-the-board bus service cuts.
The Governor in a statement has mapped out the direction that he would like to see the board go:
"To put the agency on stronger long-term financial footing, at today’s meeting, I urge the Board to direct the agency and its vendor to develop a new proposal—one that balances new revenue strategies with targeted reductions to low-performing routes. The current proposal, which relies too heavily on across-the-board reductions to routes, should be rejected in favor of a plan that includes:
Eliminating or restructuring the lowest-performing routes to better match demand and reduce costs
Reducing management and administrative expenses at the Authority
Maximizing federal funding, including the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program and indirect cost recovery
Implementing a fare adjustment, as recommended in the efficiency report—including fare increase aligned with inflation and a shift toward zone-based pricing, following more than 15 years without a fare change "
RIPTA says a new proposal could be ready in a couple of business days.
(Photo: Governor Dan McKee's Office)