A driver shortage is causing the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority to cancel or reduce bus service on more than a dozen routes starting in April.
The reductions in bus service statewide “are a direct response to [RIPTA‘s] driver shortage, which is a longstanding issue that RIPTA has been trying to address over the past few years,” the agency said in a news release Friday.
“Despite extensive recruitment efforts, drivers continue to retire more quickly than RIPTA can recruit new ones,” the RIPTA announcement said. “RIPTA is actively working with Amalgamated Transit Union leadership to find a solution to this issue. … RIPTA must recalibrate its schedules with the level of service it can consistently run, so that service is accurate and reliable for passengers.”
Why are the cuts necessary?
RIPTA will hold a series of public hearings on the changes to collect feedback and comply with federal laws, but it is unclear if the cuts can be avoided, even if agency management wants to.
In 2022, RIPTA agreed to a new union contract with bus drivers that included a pay raise intended to help attract new drivers and alleviate a shortage. The bus system also invited retired drivers to come back to work.