The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will conclude its pilot program that aimed to increase public transportation ridership by offering free rides in Central Falls and Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center.
The pilot program, launched in March 2022, will conclude on December 31, 2023. During this time, a virtual boundary (geofence) was created around Central Falls, which was extended to include the new Pawtucket-Central Falls Transit Center. The software connected with RIPTA’s Wave smart fare technology and automatically waived the fare for passengers who boarded with a Wave smart card or mobile app in the geofenced area.
“As we conclude this pilot, we’re grateful for the opportunity to explore geofencing technology and its potential to shape the future of public transportation,” said Scott Avedisian, Chief Executive Officer. “We appreciate the support and engagement of the Central Falls community and look forward to continuing our journey toward an even more efficient and user-friendly transit system.”
The pilot program is expected to help RIPTA evaluate the effectiveness of the geofencing technology in enhancing accessibility and affordability of public transportation services. The results of the pilot program will be used to shape future policy and program initiatives at RIPTA.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
