While most stops could definitely use a lot of improvement, RIPTA hasn't used the telephone pole bands in years. There is one of these metal signs at every stop: https://i.imgur.com/nxPElDp.jpg

Also, the Transit app makes using RIPTA really pretty easy nowadays. All the maps and schedules are in there and it's basically Google Maps but for transit & walking (& biking if you configure it that way). It will tell you when to leave in order to give you enough time to walk to the stop and have a couple minutes leeway. It's officially supported by RIPTA but it works for all transit systems, so you can seamlessly see RIPTA, MBTA, and GATRA (ugh) info together.

That said, there need to be route numbers on signs, and real-time arrival info at major stops at a bare minimum, and I wholeheartedly agree with you about the lack of any semblance of decent pedestrian infrastructure.

I doubt the town did any more than a smoke detector check at sale. Nothing before tenant move in....

One thing about public transit in Rhode Island and in New England generally is the stops aren’t labeled well, built adequately and or/maintained and the routes aren’t marked clearly. The system isn’t easy to use and that will always impact ridership. A faded band with an old logo on a telephone pole on the side of the street is not an appropriate way to indicate that’s where a bus to a specific location stops. The dearth of sidewalks in most RI towns makes it even more precarious.

I’d fully support zero-fare. It would be great as part of a larger overhaul that clearly shows how to get people to different places throughout the state.

Wanna try Pokemon Go? Sounds like it would tick all the boxes for you. We have an active Discord community here (from Providence down to East Greenwich). DM me if interested!

There's a lot of people who will oppose it because they see no benefit for a service they don't and probably wouldn't use, ergo this is a "waste" of their tax money.

I don't agree with them, but it's a significant enough portion of the population that it will probably never get off the ground here until you've got other working examples to point to first. Even then, it's still an uphill battle to sell this.

I think it would generally improve the quality of life for many of those who use it and increase ridership. The majority of people who currently use these services come from a lower income background. This would increase their quality of life by decreasing their expenses associated with transportation and reallocate it to other necessary expenses.

Increased benefits could come from transitioning drivers to riders, thus decreasing the number of vehicles on the road, in turn making roads safer. Quality of life would potentially be improved by decreasing noise pollution associated with the vehicles that are now off the road. I feel like these benefits are often unaccounted for when performing some cost/ benefit analysis associated with these changes!

Worked great for Newport last summer.

Thank you so much, this is a great suggestion!

Lots of javascript and python haha, vba sounds really cool though!

Cranston area but anywhere in RI isn't too far of a drive for me

Great suggestion!

Just looked it up, that looks awesome! Definitely gonna have to check it out soon

I usually drive the 3-4 hours to vermont/nh 😭

Charming!

I’m 100% for it.

I’ve requested info on the town to make sure 1) the house was inspected before sale (I truly doubt it) and 2) he’s got all his shit filed (questionable, again). Compared to other states, RI truly has zero tenant laws. You wouldn’t want to be a landlord in MA, that’s for sure

Sounds good to me, I'd be happy to subsidize mass transit even when I'm not a frequent user. It benefits us all.

I did. They aren’t as favorable as you’d hope as a tenant :(. But I guess I should have looked into it before I let my fiancé convince me into moving here lol

I have the handbook readily available at all times and have referenced it numerous times in conversations but these assholes just laugh at me. I don’t even think the landlord knows what is going on to be honest - or that the company that takes 10% of our rent is a POS.

They refused to send someone out same day and were begging the delivery guys to just turn our tanks off outside. They didn’t know it was going to be an issue I guess. This company is a joke lmao

Our stove is hooked up to a gas grill sized propane tank in the backyard. The tank is empty and it is turned off. I know nothing about this since I’ve always had a legit gas stove and whoever has replaced it has been competent. I don’t even know who the company they sent was and I’m not sure they even really knew what they were doing at our house.

They keep destroying it, but the beavers there always rebuild it. Honestly it’s very comical.

Ikr!! I moved here from Colorado, and when anyone here talks about going on a "hike" I'm like, you mean a walk?!? 😂

Just DMed you!

Go for a hike in the winter. We have beautiful places all around that offer unique perspectives in the winter. If there’s snow, there’s nothing more peaceful than the sound of silence in the woods.