Rhode Island Public Transit Authority Customer Service Agent Heidi Ribbing steps off a Flex van by the All South County Luxury Cinemas in South Kingstown. (Photo courtesy of Rhode Island Public Transit Authority)
Looking to get around South County without a car? The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) is launching a one-year program it boasts will bring the convenience of rideshare apps to public transportation.
Starting Monday, South County riders may request a ride using the agency’s Flex on Demand smartphone app , which provides an estimated pick-up time and tracks the ride in real time.
One free ride
RIPTA is offering the first Flex On Demand ride free with promo code “203Free” on their app through Sept. 30.
“This new pilot program leverages the convenience of modern technology to make public transit more accessible, flexible and responsive to the needs of our communities in South County,” Interim CEO Christopher Durand said in a statement Friday. “By integrating the benefits of rideshare with the reliability of public transportation, we’re providing our riders with more choices and greater control over their travel experience.”
The service also covers Westerly, southern Aquidneck Island, Woonsocket and Pascoag/Slatersville.
This is not to be confused with the agency’s RIde anywhere program , which allows qualified customers to request trips outside RIPTA’s existing paratransit service area. That initiative is scheduled to end Dec. 31, 2024.
The Flex on Demand service will be available in its 203 Flex Zone, which includes Narragansett and South Kingstown. Service will be available Monday through Friday from 7:50 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends and holidays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All Flex Vans are equipped with wheelchair-accessible features to accommodate passengers with limited mobility.
The price for a one-way trip is $2 — same as a standard fixed-route bus ride. The pilot will run through Aug. 31, 2025. Agency spokesperson Cristy Raposo Perry said the cost of the initiative is being funded by RIPTA’s operational funds, but did not give a specific amount.
RI Transit Riders Co-Chair Patricia Raub called the program “a step in the right direction.”
“We’re very much in favor of more service for those beyond the regular fixed routes,” she said in an interview Friday. “I applaud RIPTA for experimenting with some way to reach out and satisfy demand in the more underserved areas.”
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