Why don't more people use RIPTA?

[Cotuit]

i park for free at PC.

[Emily]

That HOV idea is BRILLIANT!!!

Make a lane reserved for vehicles with 3+ occupants and it would make the bus very attractive.

Bonanza and the other bus companies would certainly support the idea.

And your other comments about posting routes and schedules at the bus stops is simple common sense . . . something that seems sorely lacking!

I used the bus this week for the first time to commute to work, even though I'd been meaning

to try it for almost a year. Things which would help occasional users like me:

- at the bus stop, post the bus number, a map of the bus route and the schedule

- on the bus, post a general RIPTA map and have free copies of the bus schedule available.

Things which would help convince me to use the bus regularly:

- if there were high occupancy vehicle lanes on I-195 and I-95 at rush hour, so that the bus

ride would be faster than driving

- if the bus was reliably on time

- if the pass was cheaper (or if I had to pay to park on the street in Providence).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Recchia]

Yes, over $300 a year, and RISD parking fees start at $125 and go up depending on your salary.

My trolley broke down this morning, right in the middle of Memorial Blvd. I was getting off at the tunnel, so I had the driver let me out. If I was going to Thayer or further, I'd have been pissed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah so far this summer I've been on two broken down buses, one of which was on 95 on a Friday....imagine how bad my blood was boiling on that ride...The other time it was on Broad St. right before the 95 on ramp so I just got out and waited for the next bus...

Just to show some general opinions of transit in this state, I heard this from someone yesterday: "the only thing you have to know about mass transit, is that it SUCKS"

[CtownMikey]

I use ripta during the school year from ccri to cranston and I have no complaints. But all

of their problems/complaints seem to only be fixable with $$$ instead of just better service. --> Buses aren't late because they want to be.. i'm guessing they just need every second to be on time.. and any accident or extremely long red light will make them late.

Since they have a financial crisis every year.. I don't know what they have in mind the better their service. The state should just do what it can to pull them out of this hole.. upgrade and double the bus count, make stops more frequent to current locations, and add more stops around the state.

Ripta just needs to be pimped out big time and hope that it's image change will attract more riders

[bikerdriver]

P.S. You park for free, let me guess, you're a state employee?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, I park near Brown, just beyond the area limited to 3-hour parking, it's free and there are always parking spaces available if I go South-East of campus.

[bikerdriver]

The whole cost issue, that's a major deterrent for many to take the bus.  Unless you have to pay to park downtown or live more than 16 miles from downtown, RIPTA ends up costing you more, theres no incentive. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How about if the metropolitan area was divided into zones and the cost of the pass

depended on how far one went? As they do in Paris, France: you can buy a pass which is

restricted to Paris intra-muros, or allows you to go up to 5 miles into the suburbs, or 10 miles, or 20 miles, etc.

How about if RIPTA targeted one type of non-users which it tried to attract and designed a cheap special pass expecially for them? For example, a cheaper pass which allowed the user to travel only on a specific bus line (I would like that!), or only off peak times. How about aggressive commercial strategies such as: "buy a yearly pass, get the first month for free, for a lmited time only!"? How about if it designed an ad campaing and put well-timed ads in the Providence journal, for example right after the first winter storm?

Of course, even if it suceeds in attracting new customers, afterwards it still needs to retain them, and buses which regularly break down seems unacceptable to me.

[Frankie811]

How about if the metropolitan area was divided into zones and the cost of the pass

depended on how far one went? As they do in Paris, France: you can buy a pass which is

restricted to Paris intra-muros, or allows you to go up to 5 miles into the suburbs, or 10 miles, or 20 miles, etc.

How about if RIPTA targeted one type of non-users which it tried to attract and designed a cheap special pass expecially for them? For example, a cheaper pass which allowed the user to travel only on a specific bus line (I would like that!), or only off peak times. How about aggressive commercial strategies such as: "buy a yearly pass,  get the first month for free, for a lmited time only!"? How about if it designed an ad campaing and put well-timed ads in the Providence journal, for example right after the first winter storm?

Of course, even if it suceeds in attracting new customers, afterwards it still needs to retain them, and buses which regularly break down seems unacceptable to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe RIPTA has zone fares. Of course it costs more to go from Kennedy Plaza to Newport than to Cranston.

[Mij]

I believe RIPTA has zone fares. Of course it costs more to go from Kennedy Plaza to Newport than to Cranston.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually Im pretty sure you can take ripta from anywhere in the state for the same price.

[Cotuit]

Actually Im pretty sure you can take ripta from anywhere in the state for the same price.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yup, it's their much touted (obviously little understood) state-wide fare. It's been a while since Frankie's been on a bus I guess.

[Frankie811]

Yup, it's their much touted (obviously little understood) state-wide fare. It's been a while since Frankie's been on a bus I guess. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

WOW! Your kidding! You mean to tell me that you can go from KP to Westerly for $ 1.50?

[Cotuit]

How about if the metropolitan area was divided into zones and the cost of the pass depended on how far one went? As they do in Paris, France: you can buy a pass which is restricted to Paris intra-muros, or allows you to go up to 5 miles into the suburbs, or 10 miles, or 20 miles, etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd like to see somesort of zoning, with price breaks for frequent riders. Something like a Providence Zone with a cash fare of the current $1.50 then $2.00 or more for travel through the rest of the state. But you could buy passes which would drop that Providence Zone to $1.00 with one free transfer...

Something to reward the frequent rider, and a higher fare structure that's low enough not to turn off the casual rider paying cash.

How about if RIPTA targeted one type of non-users which it tried to attract and designed a cheap special pass expecially for them? For example, a cheaper pass which allowed the user to travel only on a specific bus line (I would like that!), or only off peak times. How about aggressive commercial strategies such as: "buy a yearly pass,  get the first month for free, for a lmited time only!"?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

RIPTA is currently running a half price fare program for people who work in the area near RIH as part of a traffic mitigation strategy in relation to the 195 relocation. They are also frunning some special through-routes to the RIH area, so riders don't have to switch buses at Kennedy Plaza.

The Smart Card technology that they are supposed to be rolling out could allow for things like specially priced passes that only work on certain routes.

How about if it designed an ad campaing and put well-timed ads in the Providence journal, for example right after the first winter storm?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Advertising is key, the MTA in NYC advertises for crying out loud. If a transit agency with a captive ridership like New York's advertises, then RIPTA needs to be advertising too.

Of course, even if it suceeds in attracting new customers, afterwards it still needs to retain them, and buses which regularly break down seems unacceptable to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

RIPTA is getting about 40 new buses this fall which will allow for the retirement of some of the older buses in the fleet (some dating back to the mid-80s). This of course does not help the trolley situation. Also the trolleys cannot run properly in the snow, which ruins that whole post-snowstorm ad campaign.

[Cotuit]

WOW! Your kidding! You mean to tell me that you can go from KP to Westerly for $ 1.50?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Today you could go from Providence to Westerly for free, it's an Ozone Alert day.

I went to Newport two summers ago on the ferry on one of those Ozone Alert days, then rode the bus back to Providence for free. It's really great, that one can go to Newport or Westerly for $1.50, but it's kind of crazy too. I don't know how they expect people to pay $6 for the train from Wickford Jct. to Providence, when the bus is $1.50.

[Frankie811]

Today you could go from Providence to Westerly for free, it's an Ozone Alert day.

I went to Newport two summers ago on the ferry on one of those Ozone Alert days, then rode the bus back to Providence for free. It's really great, that one can go to Newport or Westerly for $1.50, but it's kind of crazy too. I don't know how they expect people to pay $6 for the train from Wickford Jct. to Providence, when the bus is $1.50.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, the MBTA/RI/RIPTA must have something figuered out!?

[Recchia]

I don't know how they expect people to pay $6 for the train from Wickford Jct. to Providence, when the bus is $1.50.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's what I was thinking....then I remembered all the snotty aholes that live in Wickford and points south, and how they'd much rather take a train then a dirty scumbag filled bus, since a train is "higher class" and its better for their image... And the train won't be much more convenient, currently the 66 runs express from the Park and Ride at Wickford Junction and makes it downtown in like 30 minutes.... But regardless, people will hear train and think CONVENIENCE and easy travel.

[Cotuit]

But regardless, people will hear train and think CONVENIENCE and easy travel.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well the train is better than the bus. It doesn't get tied up by accidents on 95 or summer traffic to South County on Fridays... Snow has little effect on it, while Route 95 is a parking lot in a snow storm. So it is better, but is it $4.50 better?

[eltron]

I have to say that I am pretty damn impressed with the public transit system in Rhode Island. Partly due to our small size, but its still pretty cool that we have the only statewide transit system, buses or no.

Is it perfect? Absolutely not, but it meets a need and is well positioned for future need within the state, particularly if the commuter rail plans to South County are fully implemented and we start to modify bus routes to operate off that main north/south trunk route.

I think its kindof a red herring to focus on increasing ridership per se at this point. Improving service, amenities, comfort, usability should certainly be improved, and I think ridership with follow, but I hope its not the main driving force. We'll never get to a self-sustaining level. There probably isn't a single public transit system in the country that is solvent and self-supporting, and RIPTA should be no exception and be held to impossible standards by the legislature.

Also, as others have said, I think ridership will naturally increase with a change in cost and convenience. As all of the new development in town continues to mature, it will both cost more and be harder to find parking, thereby increasing the convenience and benefit, and in turn ridership, of RIPTA more or less naturally.

[Recchia]

Also, as others have said, I think ridership will naturally increase with a change in cost and convenience. As all of the new development in town continues to mature, it will both cost more and be harder to find parking, thereby increasing the convenience and benefit, and in turn ridership, of RIPTA more or less naturally.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I sure hope so. Hopefully in the future we won't even need programs like Express Travel, because it will actually be more convenient and less costly to use RIPTA.

[Nyuszi]

I think everyone's already hit on most of my issues. I now ride RIPTA sporadically, though I tried and tried to use it as my main transportation. But just so I can say something constructive first...

One of my biggest issues in the past has been bus staggering. For example, I most frequently use the Wayland Sq stop, which is now served by 3 different routes. For a while there, during peak morning hours, they all came within 10 minutes of each other (sometimes within 2-3!) and then not again for 20-30 minutes. However, today I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice stagger.

I agree that better signage would be excellent. MBTA introduced this along its bus routes about 3 years ago - all stops have at least route numbers and the printed schedule, "major" stops will include a route map and the scheduled arrival times for that specific stop. The weird thing is, the bus stop for #42 across from the Modern Diner actually has this kind of stop-specific, math-free schedule posted, along with a pleasant little shelter w/ bench. How random is that?

I'd like to keep parts of the hub & spoke model, but add more wheel/circumference lines to connect neighborhoods and/or cities other than Providence.

And I also agree that the busses need to arrive ON TIME. Even one single extra bus per route can make this happen. When I lived in Watertown, MA and used MBTA, I often got on at Newton Corner, the end of a number of lines, so while I waited for my bus, I could watch the patterns of the other busses. If a route arrived/departed every 10 minutes, the pattern would be like Bus 1 arrives 3:10, Bus 0 departs 3:15, bus 2 arrives 3:20, Bus 1 departs 3:25.

And I don't think anyone has mentioned the lack of a system map! How ridiculous is that? Having no system map available makes it really hard for a person to take the bus to an unfamiliar location. I've mentioned before that RIPTA.com's "Trip Planner" has a number of bugs in it, but it's also hard to use because there's just a random assortment of alphabetically listed stop names and I never have any clue which one is nearest to where I want to ultimately end up.

And, finally, to cap off my negative ranting. RIPTA actually DOES suck and I'm not kidding. Yes, everyone complains about their transportation system, even if it's pretty good, but that doesn't make RIPTA good. Just look upthread at the number of people who say they are anti-car and/or pro-public transport, yet find RIPTA totally lacking and opt for another option. (I'm in that group, I bike/walk or drive, depending on weather) If that isn't proof that this transportation system is majorly flawed, I don't know what would be.

whew, now I've said my piece

[runawayjim]

One of my biggest issues in the past has been bus staggering.  For example, I most frequently use the Wayland Sq stop, which is now served by 3 different routes.  For a while there, during peak morning hours, they all came within 10 minutes of each other (sometimes within 2-3!) and then not again for 20-30 minutes.  However, today I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice stagger.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

does this happen at every stop once they get like that or will the next bus wait 15-20 min to leave?

i've seen the buses get this way (i've never taken ripta, but i have seen the buses around). that's the one problem with buses is that the first bus can go and get held up and the second one can be on time but right behind the late first bus. will the late bus then take the new times or do they all just go like they normally would?

[Cotuit]

And I don't think anyone has mentioned the lack of a system map!  How ridiculous is that?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Apparently there fianlly is a new system map available in Kennedy Plaza (I believe CVS sponsored it). I haven't got one yet, because I hate to go into Kennedy Plaza.

I do have a system map from 2000 which I was told was created because of the Kennedy Plaza redesign. The people at the Convention Center information area just happened to have one floating around that they gave us (this was in 2003).

[Nyuszi]

Apparently there fianlly is a new system map available in Kennedy Plaza (I believe CVS sponsored it). I haven't got one yet, because I hate to go into Kennedy Plaza.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Woo hoo!

does this happen at every stop once they get like that or will the next bus wait 15-20 min to leave?

Yeah, it's actually built into the schedule. For example, my trip home options this evening consist of the 78 leaving Tunnel at 6:09, the 35 at 6:14, or the 40 leaving at 6:19, followed by a lag of nearly 40 minutes before the next round.

Of course, maybe I'm actually complaining about a luxury that other people don't really have - 3 different routes that serve my main stops...

Oh yeah, I just remembered my other complaint - the transfer policy. (You can only tansfer between most lines at KP, or a few other spots like Tunnel & Thayer) Though now that I think about it, that's probably pretty standard. In every other city, I've always bought a monthly pass and, because I'm insane about efficiency like that, found my own best routes that often involved a couple block walk between two non-intersecting lines to avoid annoying transfer situations that took me out of my way or forced me to wait unreasonable amounts of time.

[Recchia]

Yeah, RIPTA does have a system map, I got one at the info window in the "intermodal" center. It's actually really nice and has a frequency of service chart on it too.

[Garris]

Yeah, RIPTA does have a system map, I got one at the info window in the "intermodal" center.  It's actually really nice and has a frequency of service chart on it too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is this the same as the "old" (designed about 2 or 3 years ago) one, or is it new? I have the "old" one, and it's great.

- Garris

[Recchia]

Is this the same as the "old" (designed about 2 or 3 years ago) one, or is it new?  I have the "old" one, and it's great.

- Garris

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ehh I want to say its newer than that. It's green with a bus on the cover?

[Cotuit]

ProJo editorial about RIPTAs board.