Uprise RI · Adriana Vossari · September 5, 2026
RIPTA has unveiled the state's new paratransit fleet at an event with federal and state officials, according to a notice posted by the agency.
Paratransit is the only transportation option for many elderly and disabled Rhode Islanders, so a fleet replacement can affect the vehicles, equipment, and reliability those riders depend on.
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority has unveiled the state's new paratransit fleet at an event joined by federal and state officials, according to a notice posted by the agency .
Paratransit is the door-to-door van service RIPTA is required to provide to riders whose disabilities prevent them from using regular fixed-route buses. In Rhode Island it operates under the RIde program, and for many elderly and disabled residents it is the only way to reach medical appointments, grocery stores, and adult day programs.
The agency's notice describes the unveiling as covering the state's new paratransit fleet, and lists federal and state officials as taking part alongside RIPTA. The agency has not, in that notice, detailed the number of vehicles involved, the cost of the purchase, the funding sources, or a schedule for putting the new vans into service.
Those details matter to riders, because a fleet replacement can change the vehicles that show up, the accessibility equipment on board, and the reliability of pickup windows. Fares and eligibility rules are set separately from vehicle purchases, and nothing in the notice indicates a change to either.
Riders with questions about RIde trips, eligibility, or scheduling can reach RIPTA through the agency's website, where the announcement is posted in full.
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Allocates rideshare sales tax revenue to a restricted account for funding RIPTA paratransit services and reduces state administrative cost recoveries.
This bill directs tax revenue from ride-share apps to fund specific public transit services for people with disabilities.
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