The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority is marking its 60th anniversary this year with a yearlong celebration recognizing its history while laying out a vision for the future of public transportation in the state.
In 2025 alone, RIPTA recorded more than 12.5 million passenger trips. Nearly two-thirds of those trips were made by riders who use the system five or more days a week, and 40.6 percent of all trips connect riders to or from work. More than 76,000 students ride RIPTA to college and high school, and 62.5 percent of trips are made by people of color.
Founded in 1966, RIPTA has grown from a traditional bus service into a statewide system that moves more than 42,000 people daily, connecting riders to work, school, healthcare, and other essential services.
Current initiatives include Wave to Work, a program that helps employers provide transit benefits to employees; service alignment with schedules at Quonset Business Park; and a pilot of Flex On Demand service on Aquidneck Island and in Woonsocket. The authority is also conducting a Metro Connector Study, using federal grant funds to explore faster, more frequent, and more reliable service across metropolitan Providence.
Anniversary programming throughout the year will include employee appreciation events, an open house at RIPTA headquarters, a documentary screening about the authority’s history, and additional events to be announced. Updates are at ripta.com/60Years.
“This anniversary is about more than looking back,” said CEO Christopher Durand. “It is about recognizing the people who built RIPTA, celebrating the employees and riders who keep it moving today, and sharing a vision for what comes next.”
