Welcome to New Orleans, where the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA) has been the operating authority of bus and streetcar service in the city since the 1980s. The availability of public transit in New Orleans has been significantly less since Hurricane Katrina struck the city than it was before, however, a fair amount service has been restored since the hurricane. The hurricane caused flooding at all but two of NORTA's facilities, resulting in the loss of the fleets stored at those locations. Currently, most bus service is provided by NORTA's fleet of 1997 Orion Vs. Additional buses were brought in from other cities to enable NORTA to make necessary pullouts, including units from Philadelphia, Urbana-Champaign, IL, and Alexandria, VA. Currently, service on operating routes runs as late as 10 PM each night.
New Orleans's storied streetcars were also affected by the hurricane. The St. Charles line was the oldest continusouly operating streetcar line in the world prior to the hurricane. The line's infrastructure was largely damaged due to the hurricane, and was also due for upgrades. However, the Carrolton Carhouse, where the St. Charles fleet is maintained, was not damaged, whereas the carbarn for the Canal Street Line was flooded and those streetcars were damaged. Until the Canal Street streetcars are rebuilt and the upgrades to the St. Charles line are complete, the St. Charles cars will operate on the Canal Street line, and the St. Charles line will be "bustituted."
This train does not continue past this station. In order to continue your journey, transfer to one of the trains continuing past this point, or click "BACK" to take the return trip back to Grand Central.
BusesPhotos of buses owned both by NORTA and obtained from other properties following Hurricane Katrina
Streetcars | Photos of the St. Charles Line cars operating on Canal Street as a result of Hurricane Katrina|
Grand Central | | | | | | |