Avedisian Resigns From RIPTA

PROVIDENCE, RI — RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian has resigned from his position with the RI Public Transit Authority, expressing regret that his recent actions have drawn attention from the agency’s accomplishments.

Friday morning, Patrick Crowley, a member of the RIPTA’s Board of Directors, confirmed Avedisian has submitted a letter of resignation and that the board intends to act on it at a special meeting Tuesday afternoon.

The board met in a special meeting Thursday to discuss the letter, sent to Gov. Dan McKee, and to schedule a subsequent special meeting to vote on the resignation, reported in a video recorded by The Providence Journal. Thursdays meeting was itself called  to respond to  calls for the board to review the circumstances of Avedisian’s recent hit & run charge.

Crowley, who made the initial call to discuss the matter, echoed by Gov. Dan McKee, declined to comment on the matter prior to Tuesday’s meeting.

In his letter, Avedisian noted RIPTA’s recent accomplishments, including paying off $10.5 million in back pension payments, maintaining service through the pandemic, getting people to vaccination appointments, doctor’s visits, delivering more than 37,000 meals and making 15,365 trips to Honeywell so people could make masks and PPP, an electrified bus fleet, and improvements to transit centers statewide.

“Regrettably, all of these initiatives are now being overshadowed by recent events. I regret that the good work of the employees is being detracted by my actions. Therefore, I respectfully submit my resignation and ask that the Board of Directors terminate my contract,” Avedisian wrote.

A copy of his letter is embedded below. Avedisian-Avedisian-Resigns-From-RIPTA