The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority board voted Tuesday to approve a plan that would limit services in an effort to close a multimillion dollar budget gap.
"This is really painful. I'm telling you, I don't want to go through this again. That's why I'm letting the board know, we need to fix this problem now," said RIPTA Chief Executive Officer Charles Odimgbe.
Fixing the problem this year will involve up to 30 layoffs, buying back vacation days from employees, a cap on sick time, and allowing part-time workers to work more days.
"It just got to a critical mass, at which point the system is about to collapse and now, we are crying wolf," Odimgbe said.
The board voted 4 to 2 to accept the plan. While no routes will be eliminated, fewer buses will run each day.
"We're looking at a light rail system for Providence, and we can't keep buses on the road. That doesn't make sense," said Joel Cole, RIPTA driver.
Cole said there are already fewer buses on major routes, leaving riders to wait longer or miss connections.
With layoffs looming, he worried employees are bearing too much of the burden.
"We don't want to be scared of losing our jobs, our buses, and our transportation," Cole said.
RIPTA is funded largely through gas tax dollars.
But with people buying less gas, and more fuel-efficient cars, there simply isn't enough.
"No one here wants to see someone out on the street. I fully understand that. But I also know that we cannot continue to spend what we don't have," said Jerry Williams, RIPTA board member.
A long-term fix to RIPTA's funding problem will likely require action at the State House, to change the gas tax system.
But even with the reductions in place, the system is still close to $2 million in the red, next year alone.
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