New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
| Company type | Public transit authority |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | New Orleans , United States |
Area served | New Orleans metropolitan area |
| Products | Bus service, streetcar service, ferry service |
| Website | www |
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (commonly known as RTA or NORTA) serves as the public transit provider for New Orleans. Created by the Louisiana State Legislature in 1979, it began operating bus and historic streetcar services in 1983 after assuming control from New Orleans Public Service, Inc. In , the agency reported a total ridership of , averaging approximately per weekday, ranking it as the largest public transportation system within Louisiana.
Standard fares are set at $1.25 per boarding across most transit options, with reduced rates available for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and youth passengers. The 24-hour Jazzy Pass is priced at $3 ($1 for youth and $0.80 for seniors), granting access to all modes including ferry services. Transfers permit unlimited rides within a 120-minute window but do not allow round-trip journeys or stopovers. Children under five years old (up to three per paying passenger) travel free of charge. When transferring between buses or streetcars and ferries, any fare difference must be paid.
Hurricane Katrina
Prior to Hurricane Katrina, city buses were instrumental in evacuating residents to the Superdome shelter. The hurricane triggered extensive flooding that severely damaged NORTA’s infrastructure. The administrative headquarters was submerged beneath roughly of water. Approximately 85% of the vehicle fleet suffered damage; 146 buses housed at the Canal Street facility along with others at Desire Parkway were flooded and largely deemed unusable. In contrast, the Willow Street facility, situated above street level, remained unaffected by flooding.
Most streetcars constructed during the 1990s and 2000s endured significant flood damage, with the notable exception of the historic Perley Thomas streetcars operating on the St. Charles line, which stayed intact. Repairs to damaged streetcars were carried out locally using parts supplied by Brookville Equipment Co., enabling a prompt restoration of service following the disaster.
Post-disaster recovery
By 2007, transit services were being restored progressively as neighborhoods became safe for residents to return; however, continuous 24-hour operations were limited to only the St. Charles streetcar line. Full service on Canal Street and Riverfront routes resumed utilizing the undamaged historic St. Charles streetcars, while the repaired red Canal streetcars took over Canal and Riverfront Lines by early 2009.
Bus routes were reinstated along major corridors such as Elysian Fields Avenue, Esplanade Avenue, Claiborne Avenue, St. Claude Avenue, Judge Perez Drive, General Meyer Avenue, Lapalco Boulevard, Robert E. Lee Boulevard, and Chef Menteur Highway. Express services—namely Morrison Express, Lake Forest Express, Read-Crowder Express, and Airport Express—provided connections to Eastern New Orleans and Louis Armstrong International Airport.
Service improvements implemented on October 2, 2016 included:
- Introduction of the N. Rampart/St. Claude Avenue streetcar line running from Elysian Fields to UPT via Rampart Street and Loyola Avenue, replacing the previous Loyola/UPT route along Canal Street
- Reinstatement of Canal Street service on bus lines 15-Freret and 28-MLK
- Increased frequency on both Canal and Riverfront streetcar lines
- Extension of routes 57-Franklin and 88-St. Claude to Canal Street; additionally, route 57-Franklin was rerouted via Claiborne Avenue to enhance service along North Claiborne Avenue
- Reduced travel durations on lines 88-St. Claude and 91-Jackson/Esplanade by limiting stops between Rampart and Canal streets
- Enhanced schedule reliability for lines 5-Marigny/Bywater and 55-Elysian Fields through updated timetables
- Expanded operational hours on line 80-Desire/Louisa featuring earlier departures on weekdays and later service on weekends
New Links Bus Network
In September 2022, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) implemented a comprehensive redesign of its bus system, introducing new routes, updated names, and shortened wait intervals starting on September 25. This followed feedback from a survey involving 3,000 passengers who indicated that the previous network was outdated and inconvenient. To encourage ridership during the transition, RTA provided four days of complimentary travel across buses, streetcars, and the Algiers Point Ferry.
The New Links Network initiative focuses on modernizing public transportation by enhancing access to employment centers and key destinations, decreasing waiting times, extending operational hours, and facilitating quicker connections between routes.
On July 18, 2022, RTA unveiled Le Pass, a unified trip planning and ticketing application combining RTA and Jefferson Transit services. This app replaced the older RTA GoMobile app by August 29 and was updated in conjunction with the launch of the new bus routes in September.
During these changes, streetcar and ferry operations continued without modifications.
Active Bus Routes
As of , the NORTA bus system recorded a total ridership of , with an average weekday usage of approximately .
| Route Number | Start Point | End Point | Distance | Main Streets Served | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Tulane - Elmwood | Downtown Saratoga & Tulane |
Elmwood Jefferson Hwy & Spur |
10.2 miles (16.4 km) | Tulane Avenue, South Carrollton Avenue, Jefferson Highway | Operates 24 hours (No service west of Jefferson & Causeway overnight) |
| 8 St Claude - Arabi | Downtown Main Library |
Arabi St Claude at Parish Line |
5.4 miles (8.7 km) | Rampart Street (Saint Claude Avenue) | 24-hour operation |
| 9 Broad - Napoleon | Irish Channel Napoleon & Tchoupitoulas |
New Orleans East New Orleans East Hub |
14 miles (23 km) | Napoleon Avenue, Broad Street, Chef Menteur Highway | 24-hour availability |
| 11 Magazine | Downtown Tulane & Loyola |
West Riverside Children's Hospital New Orleans |
5.8 miles (9.3 km) | Camp Street, Magazine Street | |
| 27 Louisiana | St. Thomas Dev Rousseau & St Andrew |
Navarre Orleans & Navarre at Delgado Community College |
7.9 miles (12.7 km) | Tchoupitoulas Street, Louisiana Avenue, Toledano Street (Washington Avenue) | |
| 31 Leonidas - Gentilly | 'West Riverside' Children's Hospital New Orleans |
'Gentilly Woods' Gentilly Woods Hub |
12.4 miles (20.0 km) | Leonidas Street, Carrollton Avenue, Gentilly Boulevard | |
| 32 Leonidas - Treme | 'Downtown' Main Library |
10.5 miles (16.9 km) | Leonidas Street, Carrollton Avenue, Orleans Avenue | ||
| 45 Lakeview | 'Navarre' Metairie Cemetery |
7.5 miles (12.1 km) | (Loop) Canal Boulevard, Pontchartrain Boulevard |
| Route Number | Start Location | End Location | Distance Covered | Primary Roads Used | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'St. Bernard, Louisiana' St. Bernard & Senate |
'Fontainebleau, New Orleans' Claiborne & Carrollton |
7.8 miles (12.6 km) | (Saint Bernard Avenue, Claiborne Avenue) | (Late evening service along Claiborne via 53-O Paris - Claiborne Owl) | |
| 'Lake Terrace/Lake Oaks, New Orleans' University of New Orleans |
'Dixon, New Orleans' Palmetto & S. Carrollton at Xavier University of Louisiana |
10.5 miles (16.9 km) | (Paris Avenue, Washington Avenue) | (Late night service on Paris provided by 53-O Paris-Claiborne Owl) | |
| 'Fontainebleau' Claiborne & Carrollton |
'Lake Terrace/Lake Oaks' University of New Orleans |
10.9 miles (17.5 km) | (Claiborne Avenue, Paris Avenue) | (Provides late night coverage for segments of Routes 51 and 52) | |
| 'Downtown' Main Library |
'Gentilly Woods' Gentilly Woods Hub |
11 miles (18 km) | (Elysian Fields Avenue, Press Drive southbound, Congress Drive northbound) | (Operates 24 hours; no overnight service east of University of New Orleans) | |
| 'Pontchartrain Park, New Orleans' Press & Emmett Bashful at Southern University of New Orleans |
'Audubon' Audubon Zoo |
12.2 miles (19.6 km) | (Franklin Avenue, N Claiborne Avenue, Freret Street, Broadway) | ||
| 'Downtown' Main Library |
'Village De L'Est' Chef Menteur & Old Gentilly at Gulfway Terrace Apartments |
16.1 miles (25.9 km) | (I-10 freeway, Dwyer Road, Lake Forest Boulevard, Chef Menteur Highway) | (Runs 24 hours) | |
| 'New Orleans East' New Orleans East Hub |
13.3 miles (21.4 km) | (I-10 freeway, Morrison Road, Bullard Road) | (Overnight service available via 62-O Morrison Owl) | ||
| 18.2 miles (29.3 km) | (I-10 freeway, Morrison Road, Bullard Road) | (Provides overnight coverage on parts of Routes 62 and 68) | |||
| 'New Orleans East' New Orleans East Hub |
17.1 miles (27.5 km) | (Leon C. Simon Drive and Hayne Boulevard) | (Operates as a loop route) | ||
| 17.4 miles (28.0 km) | (Lake Forest Boulevard, Bullard Road, Old Gentilly Road, Michoud Boulevard) | (Runs as a loop service) | |||
| 10.7 miles (17.2 km) | (Hayne Boulevard and I-10 Service Road) | (Loop operation route) | |||
| 'Gentilly Woods' Gentilly Woods Hub |
'Faubourg Marigny' Elysian Fields & Decatur |
5.6 miles (9.0 km) | (Louisa Street and Desire Street) | ||
| 'Downtown' Main Library |
'Arabi' St Claude at Parish Line |
8.1 miles (13.0 km) | (N Galvez Street and N Miro Street) | ||
| 'Arabi' St Claude at Jackson Barracks |
'Chalmette, Louisiana' Nunez Community College |
13.5 miles (21.7 km) | (Tupelo Street, Judge Perez Drive, Paris Road, Fats Domino Avenue) | (Operates as a loop route) | |
| 'St. Thomas Dev' Rousseau & St Andrew |
'Navarre' Cemeteries Transit Hub |
8 (mi)[convert: unknown unit] | (Jackson Avenue and Esplanade Avenue) | ||
| 'Downtown' Tulane & Loyola |
'New Aurora' General Meyer & Carver |
Template:Convert 14.3 (mi) (km) | (Pontchartrain Expressway, L.B. Landry Avenue, General Meyer Avenue) | ||
| 'Gretna, Louisiana' Wilty Terminal |
'Tall Timbers-Bretchel' Tullis & Woodland |
Template:Convert 7.9 (mi) (km) | (Holiday Drive and Tullis Drive) | ||
| 'Downtown' Tulane & Loyola |
'New Aurora' General Meyer & Carver |
Template:Convert 12.7 (mi) (km) | (Pontchartrain Expressway, General DeGaulle Drive, Sullen Drive) | (Operates 24 hours) | |
| 'Tall Timbers-Bretchel' Tullis & Woodland |
Template:Convert 12.7 (mi) (km) | (Pontchartrain Expressway, MacArthur Boulevard, Woodland Drive) | |||
| 'Downtown' Loyola & Tulane |
'Louis Armstrong International Airport' | Template:Convert 15.9 (mi) (km) | (I-10 freeway) |
Streetcar Routes Overview
During , the streetcar network experienced a total ridership of , with an average weekday usage of as recorded in .
| Number | Route Name | Starting Point | Ending Point | Distance | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | St. Charles | Carondelet and Canal Streets | South Claiborne Avenue and Carrolton | 6 miles
(9.7 km) |
Operates 24 hours daily |
| 46 | Rampart-Loyola | Elysian Fields and St. Claude | New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal | 2.4 miles
(3.9 km) |
Service resumed May 19, 2024 |
| 47 | Canal–Cemeteries | Canal St. Ferry Terminal | Cemeteries Transit Terminal | 3.6 miles
(5.8 km) |
Available around the clock |
| 48 | Canal–City Park/Museum | Museum of Art and City Park | 3.6 miles
(5.8 km) |
24-hour operation | |
| 49 | Riverfront | French Market | John Churchill Chase | 2 miles
(3.2 km) |
Reopened June 1, 2025 |
Discontinued Routes
- 1 Easy Rider Downtown Shuttle
- 3 Vieux Carré
- 5 Marigny-Bywater
- 10 Tchoupitoulas
- 13 St. Charles Shuttle
- 14 Jackson
- 15 Freret
- 16 S Claiborne
- 19 Nashville Express
- 20 Nashville
- 22 Broadway
- 24 Napoleon
- 28 M L King
- 30 Airline
- 34 Carrollton Express
- 39 Tulane
- 40 West End Express
- 41 West End
- 42 Canal – Cemeteries
- 43 Canal Boulevard – Lake Vista
- 44 Canal Boulevard Express – Lake Vista
- 45 Canal – City Park
- 46 Orleans (initially 46 City Park)
- 48 Esplanade
- 49 Lakeview / Loyola-Riverfront
- 50 St. Bernard – Senate
- 51 St. Bernard – Lake Terrace
- 52 St. Bernard – L. C. Simon
- 53 Gentilly
- 54 Mirabeau (originally 54 Cartier)
- 56 Elysian Fields Express
- 58 Franklin Express
- 59 Congress
- 60 Hayne
- 63 New Orleans East Owl Loop
- 64 Lake Forest Express
- 65 Six Flags Express (initially Plaza Park-and-Ride) / Read-Crowder Express
- 66 Chef Menteur Highway Express
- 67 Crowder
- 69 New Orleans East Owl Loop
- 70 Read – Hayne
- 71 Read – Casino
- 72 Paris Road Express
- 73 Oak Island Loop
- 80 Louisa
- 81 Almonaster
- 82 Desire
- 83 Lower Ninth Ward
- 85 Barracks
- 88 St. Claude – Barracks
- 89 St. Claude – Refinery
- 90 Carrollton
- 94 Broad
- 96 Broad Rapid
- 97 Broad – Oak Island
- 98 Broad – Village de L'est
- 99 Broad – NASA
- 100 Algiers Owl
- 101 Algiers Point
- 102 General Meyer / Pace / Local variants
- 104 Algiers Park-and-Ride
- 105 Aurora / Aurora Express / Local
- 107 General DeGaulle / Sullen / Tullis
- 201 Kenner Loop
- 202 Kenner Park-and-Ride
- 408 Algiers Local-L.B. Landry
Organizational Structure
The Board of Commissioners, appointed by the Mayor of New Orleans alongside the President of Jefferson Parish, holds responsibility for key RTA decisions. This governing body supervises transit operations, establishes fare policies, approves budgets, formulates annual transportation strategies, and manages capital project investments.
Historically, daily operational management—including service delivery, safety oversight, maintenance, customer relations, scheduling, human resources, capital planning, grant administration, and communications—was contracted to Transdev. Serving approximately 5,000 transit agencies worldwide and initially engaged in 2008 under the name Veolia Transport, Transdev concluded its management role in December 2020. Since that time, all personnel involved in bus, streetcar, and paratransit services have been directly employed by the RTA. Ferry operations continue to be conducted by LabMar Ferry Services.
See also
External links
- Ride New Orleans, a nonprofit organization focused on transportation policy and research.