Welcome back, Providence high school students! Look for RIPTA’s yellow vest staff. Download app.

Photo: Pamela Bhatia, Artistic Images RI

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) is ready to welcome Providence Schools high school students onboard public transit for the first day of school on Wednesday, September 6, 2023. Beginning Wednesday and throughout the week, RIPTA outreach staff, in bright yellow vests, will be in Kennedy Plaza in the morning starting at 7am and at select Providence high schools in the afternoon, helping students navigate the bus system. 

In order to facilitate simple, easy use of the buses, students will not be required to present their Wave smart cards to the bus driver until September 30, 2023.  To help students find their appropriate buses when school begins, RIPTA staff will distribute bilingual informational flyers specific to each school. These informational flyers, as well as instructional videos, are available at RIPTA.com/PVDschools.  

“We’re excited about the first day of school, and getting students to class in the safest, most efficient way is our top priority,” said RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian. 

Students are encouraged to download Transit app to track their trip in real-time. While RIPTA’s goal is to never miss a trip, students are asked to please remember that sometimes mechanical or driver issue arises that leads to a cancelled trip. Even if a special school trip is cancelled, however, students can still use regular fixed-route service to get to their school. Students can connect to these routes by riding their local RIPTA route Inbound to Kennedy Plaza and then transfer to the route that goes to their school. Students can check Transit App to see if a trip has been cancelled and plan alternate ways to get to school. A passenger will know a trip has been cancelled when the departure time has a real-time symbol, but it is turned grey and is crossed out.

RIPTA offers both special school trips and regular fixed-route service to all Providence Schools High Schools. Students and families can use the Trip Planner on RIPTA.com to plan their trip from home to Kennedy Plaza or call RIPTA Customer Service at 401-784-9500 x2012 for assistance.

For more information on RIPTA services, passengers can call 401-781-9400 or visit RIPTA.com.