Decision on RIPTA bus cuts delayed

The future of dozens of bus routes remains uncertain after the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) board postponed a vote on major service cuts during its Thursday meeting.

The board had been expected to decide on the proposed reductions, aimed at closing the remaining $10 million gap in RIPTA’s projected $17.6 million budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year.

The vote delay followed a series of public hearings and a Wednesday rally, where Rhode Islanders stressed that RIPTA’s services are a vital lifeline for many.

Governor Dan McKee sent a letter to the board asking members to work with its vendor to develop a revised proposal to address the deficit.

The following routes would be affected: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9x, 12x, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 50, 51, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59x, 60, 61x, 63, 64, 65x, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 78, 80, 87, 88, 89, 92, 95x, 203, 231, 281, 301 and the R-Line.

There is no date on when the board will meet to vote on major service cuts.