GoLocalProv | Side of the Rhode: Who s Hot and Who s Not? golocalprov.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from golocalprov.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Should RIPTA be free for riders? Some legislators think so and a likely gubernatorial candidate.
Should public transportation be free in Rhode Island? Cities across the world have eliminated rider fees on buses and trolleys and now a number in the United States are considering the same.
Now, Senator Meghan E. Kallman (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, North Providence) and Rep. Leonela “Leo” Felix (D-Dist. 61, Pawtucket) have introduced legislation that would provide free transportation on Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) buses.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American spends 25.9 minutes a day traveling to work one way that adds up to just over four hours every week spent in transit for work.
April 29, 2021 9:02 am
(Photo Courtesy of Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) / Facebook)
PROVIDENCE, RI (WLNE) – New legislation is being proposed by two state lawmakers that aims to provide free transportation on RIPTA buses for Rhode Island residents.
Sen. Meghan Kallman (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, North Providence) and Rep. Leonela “Leo” Felix (D-Dist. 61, Pawtucket) unveiled the legislation during a press conference Wednesday at Kennedy Plaza in Providence.
Sen. Kallman said the plan also sets up the funding structure to support the initiative financially which is to replace revenue from bus fares with taxes on gasoline and carbon.
“Public transportation cuts across so many issues,” said Senator Kallman. “It’s a climate and environment issue. It’s a neighborhood and quality-of-life issue. It’s an economic issue. When we acknowledge this critical link between public transit, job access and social equity, the need for this legislation becomes obvious.
Apr 29, 2021
(Providence, RI) Legislation is being proposed to make public transit free in Rhode Island. It would be funded with gas tax revenue and a pollution allowance paid by fuel suppliers. State Senators Meghan Kallman and Leonela Felix say free rides on Rhode Island Public Transit Authority buses is not only a matter of fighting climate change, but a social justice issue as well.
photo: Getty Images
UpdatedWed, Apr 28, 2021 at 4:25 pm ET
Replies(3) Good public transit is a cornerstone of both climate readiness and social justice, the bill s Senate sponsor said. (Rachel Nunes/Patch)
PROVIDENCE, RI A proposed law would allow all Rhode Island residents to ride public transportation in the state for free, waiving ticket costs on Rhode Island Public Transit Authority buses.
The bill s sponsors, Sen. Meghan Kallman and Rep. Leonela Felix, unveiled the legislation at RIPTA s Providence transportation hub in Kennedy Plaza. Public transportation cuts across so many issues, Kallman said. It s a climate and environment issue. It s a neighborhood and quality-of-life issue. It s an economic issue. When we acknowledge this critical link between public transit, job access and social equity, the need for this legislation becomes obvious. Good public transit is a cornerstone of both climate readiness and social justice.