Modestly raising the state ’ s vehicle inspection fee to dedicate $10 from each inspection directly to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority will create a stable, ongoing funding source for public transit, write two legislators
Rhode Island is facing a transportation crisis, and we are already seeing the consequences.
Last year, the largest service cuts in RIPTA’s history impacted 45 out of 63 routes. These cuts changed schedules and disrupted lives.
Data from the recently released Save RIPTA Service Impact Report makes the urgency clear. More than 113,000 annual service hours were eliminated, including major reductions on weekdays and weekends. Monthly ridership dropped by over 125,000 trips — a 12.1 percent decline. Riders reported losing their jobs, and 30 percent fear they may lose employment due to unreliable service.
Rhode Islanders now have a harder time getting to work, school, and important appointments. This is not sustainable.
To address this, we introduced Senate Bill 3013 and House Bill 8369, legislation that takes a practical and balanced approach to RIPTA funding. If made law, the bill would modestly adjust the state’s vehicle inspection fee, dedicating $10 from each inspection directly to RIPTA starting in 2027. The hope is to create a stable, ongoing funding source for public transit.
At the same time, the legislation would ensure that local inspection stations, many of which are small businesses, receive an increased share of the fee, helping them remain viable and competitive.
This is a balanced policy that is thoughtful about how we invest in our state’s future while supporting the small businesses that keep our neighborhoods running. It creates a dedicated funding stream for RIPTA, supports small businesses, and moves us away from the cycle of cuts and instability that has defined transit funding for far too long.
As legislators, keeping public transit funded in Rhode Island is personal for us. Members of our families rely on RIPTA to get around. and we have both used the network ourselves.
-Public transit is about people. It’s about making sure someone can get to work, a student can get to school, and a family can make it to a doctor’s appointment. When we invest in transit, we are investing in opportunity, dignity, and economic mobility.
The impacts of unreliable transit ripple outward and affect not only individuals, but also businesses and families. Ironically, cutting service also makes the system less financially efficient, costing 29 percent more per hour of service after cuts. That is not fiscal responsibility, that is a warning sign.
Public transit reduces congestion, lowers emissions, and plays a critical role in addressing climate change. Every bus that runs reliably means fewer cars are on our roads, and our greenhouse gas emissions are lowered.
But beyond economics and environment, this is fundamentally about equity.
When service is cut, it is working families, seniors, students, and people with disabilities who feel it most. As one rider shared, service cuts have left them “literally stuck at home every weekend,” unable to access basic needs.
We can continue along the current downward spiral of underfunding and service cuts, or we can choose to invest wisely, stabilize our system, and build a transportation network that works for everyone.
We choose the latter.
Because when we invest in transit, we are not just funding buses, we are investing in people and the future of Rhode Island.
State Senator Lammis J. Vargas represents District 28, which spans parts of Cranston and Providence. Representative Jenni Furtado represents District 64, which spans parts of East Providence and Pawtucket. The authors used generative AI to help organize ideas for and edit this commentary.