WHY PUBLIC TRANSIT MUST GROW
THE CASE FOR MORE FUNDING FOR GREATER NEW ORLEANS TRANSIT – AND HOW WE CAN GET THERE
Right now, transit is not as it should be. At the beginning of the 21st century, New Orleans had one of the most robust public transit systems in the United States for a city its size. Unfortunately, over the past 20 years, transit service levels have dropped more than 40% due to a range of factors, including Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 Pandemic. These service cuts have resulted in a less equitable transportation system and decreased mobility for many residents.
Public transit should exist as a reliable and viable transportation option for residents to reach jobs and other services throughout the day. Ride New Orleans believes that true world class transit is possible with the right funding and resources. We’re laying out a vision for that system could look like, and how we can get there.
Learn about RIDE’S vision for growing transit in our funding policy brief: Why Public Transportation Must Grow: The Case for New Funding for Public Transit Service in Greater New Orleans
Where we are now
TRANSIT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY STRONGER
ECONOMY
In 2018, the RTA’s operations and service have a direct economic benefit of over $170 million to the Greater New Orleans region. Every $1 invested in transit generates $5 for the economy, and every $10 million in transit operating investment yields $32 million in increased sales.
CLIMATE
A typical trip by public transit emits 55% fewer greenhouse gasses than driving or ridesharing. In 2022, the City of New Orleans identified increasing transit ridership as a “key climate action priority” in its Net Zero by 2050 Climate Action Plan.
EQUITY
A 2019 survey of New Orleans region transit riders found that, among riders who are residents, 67% are Black, 43% have a household income of less than $25,000 per year, and 53% do not have access to a car. Among riders who are locals, 53.4% of transit travel is work-related.
WHAT QUALITY PUBLIC TRANSIT MEANS FOR NEW ORLEANS
RIDE believes that a strong and equitable transit system should offer high-quality coverage to all residents in the region who need it. A good regional transit system should:
BE FREQUENT: All high-capacity bus and streetcar lines should come at least every 10 minutes on weekdays. Other major routes should run at least every 20 minutes, neighborhood routes should run at least every 30 minutes, and all service in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard Parishes should run at least hourly
BE REGIONAL: New Orleans should have strong regional connections between Orleans and Jefferson parish, letting residents travel seamlessly and quickly to work and other necessities across parish lines.
BE FAST AND RELIABLE: Transit service should move people quickly, efficiently, and reliably; with dedicated infrastructure such as bus lanes to keep transit vehicles from getting stuck in traffic, and rapid regional service to move residents quickly between different parts of Metro New Orleans.
CONNECT PEOPLE TO JOBS AND AMENITIES: Transit should serve a wide variety of destinations throughout the region, giving riders access to a range of employment, school, healthcare, and recreation options. As of 2023, the typical Orleans Parish resident can only access 35% of the region’s jobs by transit in less than an hour.
BE AVAILABLE NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS: Transit should offer service throughout the day, including weekends and late nights, so that residents who are using transit to get to jobs outside of the 9 to 5 cycle (such as hospitality workers) can travel when they need to.
A CLEAR VISION FOR TRANSIT GROWTH
More Frequent Service
Improved service frequency and late-night service on most existing RTA and JP transit routes, based on the “125% service expansion scenario” included in the New Links Final Recommended Network plan adopted in 2021.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
The RTA and JP Transit will implement two Bus Rapid Transit routes envisioned in the 2023 Strategic Mobility Plan update: East-West BRT between New Orleans East, the CBD, and Algiers, and Airport-to-Downtown BRT via Veterans Boulevard and Canal Street.
Transit Priority Improvements
The RTA and JP Transit will work with the City of New Orleans, Jefferson Parish, and DOTD to modernize streetcar infrastructure, install bus lanes on congested routes, and implement other transit priority improvements to improve bus operating speeds by 20%, and streetcar operating speeds to 10mph.
