RIPTA wants to know what you think (really)!

Starting Monday, April 13, we’re asking our passengers and the public to take part in a customer satisfaction survey put together by the American Bus Benchmarking Group (ABBG). The survey will be available online from April 13 through Sunday, May 10 2015. ABBG prepares the survey which is used by other participating transit agencies across the country.

ABBG processes the information and then gives the results and a detailed report. We use the data to assess how we’re doing and to identify areas where we need to make improvements. The more people that participate, the better we can serve you! Also, each survey participant will be automatically entered to win a RIPTA price pack which includes a $10 gift card to One More Taco and a 15-ride pass if you choose to provide your contact information.

Click here to take the survey.

And wait, there’s more.

RIPTA is also soliciting public input on its fare products as it conducts its first-ever comprehensive fare study (please see article below). Feedback from our riders is critical in helping us determine if we’re offering the types of tickets and passes that passengers need most and if our products are easy to obtain. There will be community meetings, and, as part of that study, we’re also asking a few questions online. A link to that survey will be posted on our website shortly. Please make sure to watch for it so your opinion can be counted!

RIPTA LAUNCHES FIRST COMPREHENSIVE FARE STUDY

RIPTA recently announced that it has hired a consultant and is embarking on its first-ever transit fare study to review all fare products it offers as well as the rates that are charged. One of the main goals of the study – which is expected to be complete in early July – is to determine of RIPTA is offering the types of fare products (such as all-day passes or 15-ride passes) that best meet passengers’ needs.

RIPTA staff will be working with LTK Engineering Services of Pennsylvania which was awarded the contract as the fare study consultants. By working with LTK, members of RIPTA’s Planning Department will be able to delve into details of RIPTA’s fares and explore possible alternatives – such as fares based on distances traveled or the duration of trips. RIPTA currently charges a flat rate of $2.00 per trip and .50 cents for transfers. This statewide rate has been in effect since 2010 when it was raised from $1.75.

Once recommendations are made to RIPTA’s Board of Directors, the board will decide if it wants to consider a change in RIPTA’s rates or fare products. That process would be public and include public hearings, but before that stage is even reached, RIPTA staff plan to get plenty of passenger input. As a first step, RIPTA has schedule to informal “listening sessions” intended to solicit feedback from the general public. The first two sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2015 in the auditorium of the Providence Foundation at 30 Exchange Terrace, Providence. There will be an early session from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and an evening session from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Please attend if you can!

RIPTA IN THE COMMUNITY

EARTH DAY 2015

RIPTA is working with the City of Providence and WBRU radio in an effort to help clean up parks around the state. On Saturday, April 25, and Sunday April 26, RIPTA will provide complimentary transportation to individuals who have signed up to volunteer and help clean the marks. For information on how you can participate in the Providence Earth Day Spring Cleaning, click here.

And, if you want to try to get in the record books while showing your love of nature, WBRU is trying to round up people for a “tree hugging palooza” at Roger Williams Park in Providence on April 25 in an attempt to set a new world record! The station is hoping that enough Rhody tree-huggers will show up to shatter the current record for hugging trees as listed in the Guinness World Record. The title is now held by the city of Portland, Oregon with 936 trees hugged. Registration is from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m; the hugging starts at 3 p.m.

IMPROVEMENTS TO PARK ‘N RIDE LOTS

Starting at the end of April, RIPTA will be working to keep passengers up-to-date as the State Department of Transportation begins making upgrades to several Park ‘n Ride lots around the state. The projects will make the lots compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Most lots will remain open during the work, but the RIPTA Commuter Resources team will be at the locations in advance distributing more detailed information. The construction schedule has not been finalized, but nearly one dozen lots will be updated. Work on the first lot will begin in late April and the final lot is slated to will undergo construction at the end of August. Thank you in advance for your patience and stay tuned.