RIPTA Unveils 50 New Low-Floor Frontrunner Minibuses to Enhance Accessible Transportation Across Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), joined by Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas, and local officials, unveiled 50 new Low-Floor Frontrunner Minibuses that will modernize and expand the agency's RIde paratransit fleet. The new vehicles will replace aging fleet assets and increase capacity to meet growing demand for RIde and Flex On Demand services.

The $12 million investment was supported by $9.7 million in federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding, along with a 20 percent state match. The new fleet will provide safer, more reliable, and more accessible transportation for Rhode Islanders with disabilities, helping connect riders to jobs, healthcare, education, and community activities while supporting greater independence.

Leaders highlighted the investment as an example of how federal infrastructure funding is helping transit agencies modernize fleets, improve customer service, and expand mobility options for communities that depend on public transportation every day.

Shown here is Frontrunner Bus Group, Inc. CEO, Paul LaRose, speaking with a passenger who shared his feedback and appreciation for the Low-Floor Frontrunner.

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