Rhode Island Public Transit Authority will operate on a Sunday/Holiday schedule Monday, Sept. 1, in observance of Labor Day, with Newport seeing mixed impacts as some services continue while others scale back.
The Newport Transportation Center will buck the trend of other RIPTA facilities by remaining open during the holiday. The customer service kiosk will maintain limited hours from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., while RIPTA’s main offices in Kennedy Plaza and the customer service call center will be closed.
Newport commuters and visitors who rely on the shuttle connecting Newport to Providence’s ferry terminal will see service continue Monday on the holiday schedule before a significant change Tuesday. The Newport to Providence ferry shuttle will transition to its fall schedule Sept. 2, typically meaning reduced frequency as the summer tourism season winds down.
The timing coincides with the traditional end of Newport’s peak visitor season, as Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial close of summer for many Rhode Island attractions and businesses.
RIPTA’s flex services will be largely unavailable Monday, with the exception of Route 203 serving URI, Narragansett and South Kingstown. That route will run on a Sunday schedule without timepoint stops from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The RIde paratransit program will operate on a holiday schedule but will not provide standing order trips. Passengers needing rides Monday must call the reservation line at 401-461-9760 before Sept. 1. The reservation line will be unstaffed during the holiday, but passengers can leave detailed voicemail messages for next-day trips.
Regular RIPTA service resumes Tuesday, Sept. 2.
For more information on holiday schedules, passengers can call 401-781-9400 or visit RIPTA.com.