Rhode Island Public Transit Authority Board Member Heather Schey disembarks a RIde van with her service dog Asher. (Courtesy of Rhode Island Public Transit Authority)
A pilot program originally scheduled to end Dec. 31 that gives curb to curb rides to eligible Rhode Islanders who cannot independently use public buses will continue until further notice, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) announced Friday morning.
Launched Jan. 2, 2024, RIPTA’s RIde anywhere program allows riders to reserve van or mini-bus transportation to come pick them up where they live. The federal government only requires paratransit service for people with disabilities when they live within ¾ miles of a bus stop.
Participants must complete the standard RIde paratransit application and be accepted before enrolling in the pilot program. Regular program passengers do not need to re-apply to be eligible for the pilot program, according to RIPTA’s announcement.
Since launching earlier in the year, the pilot program has provided 5,974 trips.
“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,” CEO Christohper Durand said in a statement.
RIPTA board member Heather Schey, who herself uses paratransit services, commended the agency for its commitment to riders with disabilities.
“People can have more access,” she said at the board’s meeting Thursday afternoon.
The pilot program was created under the state’s fiscal year 2024 budget, which appropriated RIPTA $500,000 to study the feasibility “of expanding paratransit services to underserved communities.” A little more than $330,000 was spent by the agency as of Nov. 30, according to RIPTA’s announcement.
The agency is required to submit a final report on the program detailing program outcomes and recommendations by June 1, 2025.
Paratransit fares are $4 per trip. Rides are requested by reservation, which can be made by calling (401) 461-9760 between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Riders can also reserve Sunday trips, but will have to leave a voice message.
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