RIPTA
With a Brown ID, Ride RIPTA Buses or Trolleys for Free
Current faculty, staff, and students are able to ride any RIPTA bus or trolley anytime, anywhere in the state at no charge. Brown’s investment in the UPASS program is the latest effort in one of many transportation initiatives benefiting its employees, students, and the broader community. The UPASS program DOES NOT include the Providence-Newport Ferry.
How it Works
Swipe your Brown ID through RIPTA's new fareboxes and take a seat – it's that easy!
Rides will be electronically counted and RIPTA will bill the University monthly. The University will review monthly statistics to ensure that only current, valid IDs are in use. IDs that are cancelled, lost, stolen, or obsolete will be reported to RIPTA and will not work with the new fareboxes.
Bus Schedules
A kiosk with all current schedules is located in the Bank of America ATM vestibule on the street level of the Brown Office Building (164 Angell Street). Bus schedules are changed three times per year – February 1st, July 1st, and September 1st. The new schedules will appear in the kiosk one week prior to the schedule change.
Student Parking Lot Bus Route
The Student Parking Lot (#106) located at the Providence Piers, 170-180 Allens Avenue, is serviced daily by RIPTA Bus Route #3 Warwick Avenue from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm (times vary on weekends and holidays) and is free when you swipe your Brown ID. The RIPTA outbound stop is located on Public St. just before the corner of Allens Avenue and the RIPTA inbound stop is at 200 Allens Avenue in front of the Conley's Wharf building. Please visit the RIPTA website for detailed schedule information.
Special Barrington Express Buses
As a result of the renewed Brown – RIPTA relationship, two morning and two afternoon special Barrington buses are now available with service to and from the East Side. View the route schedule.
Special Morning Service from Kennedy Plaza
In order to alleviate the difficulty of getting from Kennedy Plaza to Brown for a timely morning arrival, RIPTA instituted a a short trip from Kennedy Plaza to the top of the tunnel at Thayer Street. Click here for the details.
Google Transit Trip Planner
RIPTA riders can access the new Google Transit trip planner at www.ripta.com and use it to find the quickest, most convenient route to reach their destination. It's a great incentive to use transit in Rhode Island because it figures out the whole trip for you. To use the new trip planner, which recently was launched on RIPTA's website and at www.google.com/transit, RIPTA customers simply enter their starting address and destination. Try it out!
RIPTA Contact Information
The RIPTA information number is 401-781-9400. Additional RIPTA information can be found on the website at www.ripta.com or by contacting RIPTA's Commuter Resource RI “Commute Advisors” at 1-888-887-4782.
Additional Bonus
Some auto insurance companies provide lower rates based on annual mileage or type of use - commuting via RIPTA might save you money on your auto insurance. Check with your insurance carrier to see if you qualify.