RIPTA TO RUN HOLIDAY SERVICE SCHEDULE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2013

RIPTA will operate all fixed-route services on a Sunday/Holiday schedule on Monday, January 21, 2013 in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Click here for details.

RIPTA’S WINTER SERVICE CHANGES TO TAKE EFFECT SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 2013

RIPTA will implement winter service changes effective Saturday, January 19, 2013. RIPTA makes regular service adjustments three times a year in response to seasonal changes and/or passenger use. Click here for details to see if your route is affected.

RIPTA SCHEDULES 2013 COMMUNITY SITE VISITS FOR BUS PASS PROGRAM FOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Every week, RIPTA’s Photo Identification staff travel to communities throughout the state to provide bus passes to qualified seniors and individuals with disabilities, who are unable to get to our office in downtown Providence. The Photo ID Office, which is open Monday through Thursday from 9 am to Noon and 1 pm to 4 pm, will be closed all day every Friday to provide photo identification “road trip” services around the state. Click here for the 2013 Community Site Visit Schedule for the Bus Pass Program for Seniors and People with Disabilities.

ALL ABOARD! TRY THE TRAIN FOR FREE!

RIPTA’s Commuter Resource RI Program and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation are kicking off “Wickford Wintertime Wednesdays” on January 23, 2013. This commuter initiative will offer free RIPTIKs and/or free round-trip train tickets from the new Wickford Junction Commuter Rail Station to Providence every Wednesday through February 27, 2013.

Commuters who take advantage of "Wickford Wintertime Wednesday" can also park for free at Wickford Junction.

Normally, a round-trip ticket from Wickford to Providence costs $6.50 and parking costs $4 a day.

Are you interested in trying the train for FREE? Click here to download a registration form. Complete it and then bring it with you to the registration table on the second-floor waiting area inside the Wickford Junction Commuter Rail Station.

RIPTA’s Commuter Resource team will be at the train station every Wednesday during this promotion from 7:00AM to 3:30PM, distributing transit information, answering questions and registering passengers for prizes! Commuters who register for this promotion will receive free coffee.

CHARITY BASKETBALL GAME: RIPTA TAKES ON THE PPD!

Cheer on RIPTA bus drivers as they take on the Providence Police Department in this charity basketball game! The game will be held at the Fox Point Boys & Girls Club, 90 Ives Street, Providence, RI on Sunday, January 20th at Noon.

$5 donation at the door; kids are free.
All proceeds will benefit the Fox Point Boys & Girls Club.
Raffle tickets will be on sale at the event for $1.00 each. Raffle Prizes include gift certificates to
Camille’s, Pizzico Ristorante, iHop and more.

Click here to view the event on Facebook. Invite your friends and help us spread the word!

RIPTA STUFFS BUSES FOR THE COMMUNITY

Last month, RIPTA sponsored two “Stuff a Bus” events to benefit the community.

On December 2nd, RIPTA and 92 PRO FM hosted a “Stuff a Bus” toy drive at Benny’s located at 5600 Post Road in East Greenwich. The goal was to stuff a RIPTA bus chock full of new toys that would be donated to Toys for Tots and Hasbro Children’s Hospital of RI. Mission accomplished! Thanks to your generosity, the RIPTA hybrid bus was filled with hundreds of new toys!

Lite Rock 105, RIPTA & Dave's Marketplace in Smithfield kicked off the Season of Giving Food Drive on December 8th. This Stuff a Bus Food Drive was to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. We collected 2,993 pounds of food and $1,392 in donations. Every dollar enables the Rhode Island Community Food Bank to acquire 3 pounds of healthy food. So in total, this food drive resulted in 7,169 pounds of food for Rhode Islanders in need. Thank you to everyone who helped!

MEET OUR WINTER RIPTA RIDER CONTEST WINNERS!

DECEMBER WINNER

Meet Iona, our December RIPTA Rider of the Month! Iona is a college student from Newport and rides RIPTA to school, as well as all across our great State of Rhode Island. Iona says riding RIPTA is a great way to meet people, travel with friends and catch-up on school work. Click here to view Iona’s winning video and all of the RIPTA Rider Contest video submissions.

JANUARY WINNER

Meet Manny, our January RIPTA Rider of the Month! Manny is a college student from Providence and has been riding RIPTA to school since middle school. Manny especially loves our very own RIPTA drivers, who one day when he was in high school, stopped and waited for him to collect himself after he literally fell face first into a pile of snow while running for the bus. Click here to view Manny's winning video and all of the RIPTA Rider Contest video submissions.

Make sure to check back here next month to meet our February RIPTA Rider of the Month!

COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS (COA) - MORE ROUTES ADDED!!

RIPTA wants your opinion! Comment on possible changes to your route or suggest your own ideas! http://www.ripta.com/featured-project

GET YOUR CAMERAS READY! RIPTA ANNOUNCES “RHODY TEN” PHOTO CONTEST

RIPTA’s “Rhody Ten” Photo Contest, running exclusively online, kicks off February 1, 2013 through March 1, 2013. Participants are invited to capture an image of Rhode Island and submit it to be featured on RIPTA’s monthly Rhody Ten Pass. The contest is free and open to all photographers.

Six winning photos will be chosen by RIPTA Staff. The winners will receive their photo featured on a monthly Rhody Ten Pass, a photo credit, a RIPTA prize pack, and a gift card to Snookers Sports, Billiards, Bar & Grill (easily accessible by RIPTA Routes 53, 55, and 58). These photos will be featured on the July – December 2013 Rhody Ten Passes.

Winners will be announced via email, Twitter and Facebook.

Entries must include the location of the photo, the photographer’s name and contact information, and a short caption. Photos, along with the necessary information, must be submitted by e-mail to marketing@ripta.com. For more information and specific contest details, please go here.