New Orleans Public Transportation Outlook Dims

by Larry Lagarde

A serious budget crisis threatens the future of public transportation in New Orleans, making alternate transportation like folding bicycles even more important.

Unless a new source of funding is provided soon, emergency funds that have allowed the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA) to continue to serve New Orleanians in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina shall cease on June 30, 2006, forcing additional employee layoffs and more cutbacks in service, says Rosalind Cook, NORTA's media relations manager.

Prior to Hurricane Katrina, 60% of funding for NORTA came from fares; the balance was funded through local sales tax and hotel tax revenues. Unfortunately, all of these traditional funding sources have decreased dramatically since Katrina (ridership alone is just one fifth of what it was before the storm).

With the budgets of both the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana sucked dry, the only hope is that the federal government will come through with funds. The US House of Representatives has approved $200 million for emergency transportation issues like this one; however, the US Senate must also approve this bill for the funds to become available. The issue is before the Senate now but an answer will probably not come until May 27th when the Senate goes into recess.

Mrs. Cook also said that Warren notices are being mailed to all NORTA employees to inform them that they may not have jobs in 60 days. No doubt, this will make NORTA's Board of Commissioners meeting at 10am tomorrow morning very interesting. The budget crisis is on the agenda.

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For more about the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, visit http://www.norta.com