Chris Durand, who was appointed RIPTA CEO last November, recently agreed to sit for an interview with The Providence Eye. This is the summary of that conversation.
RIPTA accomplishments:
Chris said first that he wants Providence residents to know about RIPTA’s recent accomplishments. Much of his focus so far has been on developing the transit agency’s workforce through extensive outreach to prospective applicants, with the promise of higher wages and paid training. The effort has generated many applications and enough hires to end the drivers’ shortage. This move has virtually eliminated missed bus trips, has restored previously reduced services, and has even begun to expand some bus runs. Other good news: RIPTA’s use of electric buses on the R-line through Providence is working well, and the charging infrastructure for these vehicles is operating smoothly. This past fall, the renovated bus tunnel on the East Side reopened, and it’s a pleasure to take a bus through the cleaner, safer tunnel.
We note that another improvement RIPTA just initiated is extending the hours of the call center
Transit Master Plan:
Chris declared that RIPTA takes the state’s plan for a much-improved transit system seriously. Even with no additional funding to implement this plan, RIPTA has made improvements; new service, for example, on some Route 10X and Route 28 has timed bus trips to the new Amazon facility on Hartford Ave to accommodate Amazon shift changes. RIPTA is also making bus stop improvements at several locations throughout the state.
Kennedy Plaza Bus Hub relocation:
RIPTA and its consultants are giving serious attention to moving the central bus hub to a site near Providence’s Amtrak station, a location that had substantial public support at workshops the bus agency held last year. The station area would encourage transit-oriented real estate development and therefore would be a good spot to support the city’s economic growth. Nevertheless, the RIPTA CEO offered no firm timeline for when a decision to select the new site will be made.
Interestingly, at Amtrak’s suggestion, RIPTA is now considering a site just west of the train station, between the station and the mall. We infer the long delay in announcing a decision reflects the difficulty in finding a site not opposed by abutters and one that works operationally and financially.
Kennedy Plaza issues:
Chris knows that Kennedy Plaza( KP) needs sprucing up and better security. RIPTA is hiring additional maintenance workers, renovating the terminal building to include a rest area for bus drivers, and modernizing signage. They will be asking the RIPTA Board in February for approval of work to improve the shelters, which will include replacing the digital trip time signs, many of which are no longer operational.
We suggest that these further improvements are essential; KP should continue to serve as the central hub for quite a while even after a new hub opens. Chris notes that the Plaza will remain a stopping place for many bus lines. Amazingly, the outdoor clock there has finally been fixed and tells the right time!
RIPTA-Providence relations:
RIPTA is working with the Providence city government to provide Kennedy Plaza security and help coordinate the buses with school release schedules. Starting this month, RIPTA is offering improved service for Providence students via routes going directly from some high schools to the young riders’ neighborhoods without needing to transfer from one bus to another at Kennedy Plaza. This change will cut down on mid-afternoon congestion in Kennedy Plaza from high school students throughout the city arriving in the Plaza at approximately the same time.
Rochester NY:
When asked about a peer city whose transit system he admires, Chris picked Rochester, NY whose transit center has many passenger amenities, and transit agency cooperates closely with Rochester companies and schools. He also praised Boston’s Phillip Eng, general manager and CEO of the MBTA. Chris is impressed with the steps Eng is taking to improve the Massachusetts transit system, and the two are talking about fare and schedule coordination between RIPTA and the MBTA commuter rail. Chris has taken Eng on a tour of RIPTA facilities—and Eng is as impressed with Chris’s improvements as Chris is with Eng’s!

The fiscal cliff:
RIPTA faces a daunting $31 million deficit for the next fiscal year, an amount not unlike that faced by transit agencies around the country. Chris is hoping the progress already being made at RIPTA will generate support in the Assembly and with the Administration for the increased funding to balance the agency’s budget and avoid drastic service reductions. RIPTA is also conducting rider surveys and talking with some employers, notably along the “downtown corridor” between the train station and the hospital, and at Quonset Point, to determine what service changes to their sites would build ridership and fare revenue. Every step to improve bus service, Chris noted, increases the likelihood of “mode shift,” that is, the encouragement for some riders to switch to public transit for at least some of their transportation, a move that would help Rhode Island meet its climate goals.
RIPTA is working with some large companies employing one hundred workers or more to offer subsidized bus cards for its employees. When we asked if the big employers include the State of Rhode Island, Chris had to admit that little progress had been made encouraging its workers to commute via transit.
We note the General Assembly passed a law in 2008 requiring the state to take steps to reduce state employee commuting miles and report progress on this annually. The RI Department of Administration has never implemented it.
Also, since the interview, the Governor released his budget proposal which did not address RIPTA’s deficit.
Federal outlook:
Chris was cautious in predicting how the new federal administration will affect public transit policy, but he did remind us that the current infrastructure legislation passed during the Biden administration is still in play. Chris expects that our “great Congressional delegation” will continue to help secure federal grants to support public transit initiatives.
Chris’ Personal journey:
Chris started work at RIPTA directly after graduating from URI, where he majored in finance. Over time he moved up to Chief Financial Officer. He was appointed interim CEO when Scott Avedisian left last year. After a nationwide search for Avedisian’s successor, the RIPTA board unanimously approved Chris as the agency’s permanent CEO. He seems delighted with the job, declaring that he feels lucky each day to come to work. He’s proud to be leading a team dedicated to helping people get to where they want to go, and he’s pleased with the improvements he and his team have managed to make so far. Even with insufficient funding from the state, Chris still has plans to make the system better.
In conclusion, Chris maintains that Providence is a great city, and he urges city residents to hop on a bus and come downtown to walk around!
Our takeaway:
While we feel we are all fortunate that RIPTA is now headed by a transit professional with broad stakeholder support, someone who is dedicated to meeting riders’ needs, there is still a problem with insufficient establishment support for transit. Public leaders in Rhode Island seem to regard the bus system as a barebones operation needed only to provide the poor with limited mobility. This position is shortsighted. Ridership in Rhode Island includes people from all walks of life, every income level, and residents from all parts of the state. Equally important, it is a timely tool for addressing climate, housing needs, traffic congestion, highway safety, and economic progress. It’s time for our elected officials to take a broader approach to public transit.
Even without increased funding, we endorse Chris’ notion that the system is getting better, and we think RIPTA could be improved even more and even faster with sufficient funding. Meanwhile, consider giving it a try—and contacting your state legislators to encourage them to support more funding for RIPTA!
Visit Save RIPTA for more information on how you can help,
Patricia Raub is co-chair of RI Transit Riders, an independent, volunteer-led, grassroots group that was formed to preserve, expand, and improve public transportation in Rhode Island. https://www.ritransitriders.org/
Barry Schiller, a retired RI math professor, is a lifelong transit user and advocate, and has served on the RI Public Transit Authority Board of Directors and the state’s Transportation Advisory Committee.