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New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA or "RiTA," as it is called by some residents) is a body established by the Louisiana State Legislature in 1979; since 1983 it has controlled bus and streetcar service in the City of New Orleans.
Previously, public mass transit, electric, and natural gas were all controlled by the private New Orleans Public Service Incorporated (NOPSI). The switch to a public operation was motivated by lack of profitability and the desire to be eligible for federal funding.
As New Orleans has one of the highest poverty rates in America, thousands of citizens relied on NORTA, requiring one of the largest fleets of buses in the nation. It also had the reputation for being one of the cleanest and safest systems among cities known for their high crime rates.
City buses were used before Hurricane Katrina hit to transport people to a refuge of last resort, the Louisiana Superdome. Much of the city flooded due to the storm. The NORTA Administration building on Plaza Drive appears to have been in ten feet of water. Almost eighty-five percent of the fleet was rendered useless and inoperative 146 city buses were visible outdoors in the flood at the 2817 Canal St. facility, while only 22 were at 3900 Desire Pky. The 8201 Willow St. facility was one block within the flood but was built above street level. The buses at the flooded facilities will likely have to be rebuilt or replaced.
Some service is slowly being restored to certain areas as they become habitable again. Streetcars have returned to the full length of Canal St. and the Riverfront, using the historic St. Charles Line streetcars, which were not damaged, as the red Canal cars were. The buses that have been restored to operation have returned several major thoroufares, including Elysian Fields Avenue, Esplanade Avenue, Claiborne Avenue, St. Claude Avenue, Judge Perez Drive, General Meyer Avenue, Lapalco Boulevard, Robert E. Lee Boulevard, and the Chef Menteur Highway.