Bus on Shoulder Service allows buses to drive on highway emergency shoulders so they can skip traffic. This is a quick and cheap solution since there is no need to build or reduce a lane exclusively for buses.

BRT is a form of transit that treats buses more like a train. Buses run in their own separated lanes and have priority over other cars so that they skip traffic. They come quickly so that it is easy to wait for the next bus. Unlike regular bus stops with just a metal sign,  BRT stops have screens that count down to the next bus, benches and shelters to make your wait comfortable and protected from the elements, and ticket machines so that you pay before you board the bus.

BRT is cheaper in comparison to building trains since it does not require planting rails on the road or having to buy train equipment.

On the TMP map, these routes are in red.

Choice riders have a greater means to choose how they get around. They typically have a car but choose to take public transit because it is more convenient, economical, or eco-friendly. 

Dependent riders’ primary means of transportation is public transit. They are most impacted by route changes as they have little choice or means to afford a car.

Crosstown buses are routes that directly link neighborhoods together without having to go through a hub like Kennedy Plaza.

For example: A route between Olneyville Square and Eddy St. or Cranston and Park Ave.

After a certain amount of paid trips, you will not be charged for any further trips for a specified amount of time. With fare capping, you would not need to think ahead about buying a timed pass (daily, monthly) because the system will automatically give you a pass if you have paid enough. This eliminates the stress of making the most value from your pass, or “wasting” the pass if you realize you did not ride enough.

For example, the RIPTA WAVE app will automatically give you a day pass if you have to pay more than $6 (3 trips).

This is the segment of one’s journey to get to/from the transit stop. Stops can be as short as your doorstep or as far as a couple of miles away. Ideally, the first-and-last mile connection should be through walking/rolling or biking.

Flex Service brings a public transportation option to areas that have little or no regular service. You use an app or call a phone number to request a minibus/van pick you up at a scheduled stop or your own pickup or drop off location.

For example: the RIPTA Flex bus can pick you up at your doorstep and drop you off directly in front of the grocery store.

These are services that come every 15 minutes or less. Since the next bus comes often, you do not need to plan ahead when to catch your bus or worry about missing your transfer. 

The Frequent Transit Network would consist of a total of 19 routes with service frequencies of 15 minutes or better; these routes are in purple, orange, or red.

LRT is a type of electrified train that carries more people than a regular bus. They can run along metal tracks that are in the road. It is typically cheaper to build LRT than to dig tunnels for subways. If LRT has its own dedicated space and gets priority on the road, it can be fast like a train.

On the TMP map, these routes are usually in red.

Micromobility is a form of transportation like bikes and scooters that help people connect to other forms of transportation like buses and trains. Micromobility addresses the first-and-last mile issue.

These are phone-based services like Uber or Lyft where you can call a ride to your location and have them drop you off wherever you like. Unlike public transit fares where there is a set price no matter where you go, you will pay a price set by the company based on how far you go and if there is demand.

Mobility hubs are public spaces where transit routes, information, and public amenities are centrally located.

These spaces have bathrooms, benches, and shelters for people to wait comfortably, bike racks to lock bikes, signs to inform people about routes and schedules, and employees that can help out.

Kennedy Plaza, Providence Train Station, and the Newport Visitors Center are good examples of these.

Multimodal transportation is an effort to have many forms of movement (driving, walking/rolling, biking, taking the bus), rather than only focusing on one.

Required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), public transit agencies are required to provide door-to-door service for people with disabilities. Typically this zone is limited to 3/4 of a mile from a transit stop.

These are priority lanes that only allow transit vehicles to drive on and skip traffic on the road. Priority lanes can be separated from traffic with physical barriers or painted red to deter other cars. 

Instead of having full bus lanes along a road, queue jump lanes are small pockets at an intersection dedicated for buses. Combined with signal priority, buses can skip traffic and get to go first.

Similar to the R-Line, these are buses that run more frequently than local buses and have some signal priority and dedicated bus lanes. This is cheaper to construct than Bus Rapid Transit allowing them to exist in more corridors.

On a map, these routes are usually in orange.

TMAs are member-controlled, member-funded organizations that provide transportation services for a particular area such as an industrial park, medical center, commercial district, or mall. 

For example: University shuttles, company shuttles.

TSP is a feature on traffic lights that gives buses the green light before other cars. This can speed up buses since they do not need to wait at traffic lights.