Report: RIPTA Ridership On The Decline

Ridership on Rhode Island public transit has slowly declined over the past few years, according to newly released data. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority's "Transit Master Plan" outlines current trends in ridership and plans for the coming decades.

Annual bus ridership has slowly declined over the past decade, the report said, from approximately 21 million people in 2008 to just over 16 million last year, a drop of 23 percent. The decline is blamed on several factors, including the rise of ride-sharing services such as Lyft and Uber as well as a general decrease in public transit use since the end of the Great Recession.

"In spite of these challenges, transit is the second most popular way for people to get around in Rhode Island, and continues to be the most efficient, cost-effective and climate-friendly way to move large numbers of people within urbanized areas," the report read. "Transit is key to making Rhode Island an even more attractive place to live and work, helping the state attract businesses, connect residents with jobs, retain younger residents, and attract new talent."

Compared to nearby metro areas, Rhode Island is doing well, with a very close rider-to-population ratio.

The R-Line is the state's most popular route by far, averaging more than 8,000 passengers every weekday. That's more than double the second-most popular route, Hope-Eddy, which averages just under 4,000 passengers per day.

In the years ahead, RIPTA officials plan to improve service across the board, planning changes including level boarding, cashless/prepaid fare payments, special lanes to allow buses to move through traffic more quickly, better information available online and more.

RIPTA's full report can be read here.