Film and Music

The RTA welcomes film, video and photography production requests to use our vehicles and locations for your projects. 

We require a formal application process, and fees do apply. 

We attempt to fulfill all requests, but because our ridership is our priority, certain requests may be denied because of availability issues.


Which vehicles and locations are available for use? 

  • Streetcars
    • The historic, green streetcars that operate along St. Charles Avenue
    • The modern, red streetcars that operate along Canal St., Rampart St. and the Riverfront
  • Buses 
  • Bus stops and shelters
  • RTA facilities such as streetcar barns and bus depots


Overview of the Process

Make your request at least four weeks in advance.

RTA Filming Request Form

RTA Filming Policy

Send to the RTA's Marketing and Communications Department:

  • A letter of intent
  • A script, storyboard or concept treatment that details how you want to use RTA property for your production.

Documentation may be sent either via fax or e-mail:

The RTA will give you a cost estimate soon after your application and will ask for a deposit.

In certain cases, the RTA will require a pre-production meeting to be held at our offices in order discuss your plans and discuss how to make them compliant with RTA requirements.

At least two weeks before production begins, your production company must supply proof of appropriate insurance coverage. (See “Proof of Insurance” below.)

At least 48 hours before production, a representative of your company must sign and submit certain contracts to the RTA. (See “Contracts” below.)

Full payment is due before the start of your project. (See “Rates and Payment” below.)


RTA's Image

One reason we ask for details about how you want to use RTA property in your production is because, in order to protect our riders and our brand, we do not wish productions to portray the RTA or its employees in a negative light. In addition, filming and photography should not portray public transportation as unsafe.

On RTA property, we do not allow scenes of violence, assaults, murders, explicit sexuality, suicide or attempted suicide, bus or streetcar crashes, or traumatic events. The RTA is likely to consider any similarly violent or disturbing scenes or imagery to be inappropriate and deny approval.


RTA Personnel on Location

Each production is required to pay for at least one RTA supervisor be present on the set and monitor the production. Additional RTA employees, such as customer assistants, electricians, laborers, carpenters, and sheet metal workers, are available for hire if needed.

Please note that the RTA personnel present on the set cannot change the terms and conditions of the agreement between the RTA and your production company. Any requests to make changes to the agreement must go through the RTA's Marketing and Communications Department.


Proof of Insurance

At least two weeks before production begins, your production company must supply proof of appropriate insurance coverage. Please follow all three of the following steps:

  • Mail certified copies of relevant insurance documentation to:

Marc Popkin
Risk Management Analyst
Regional Transit Authority
2817 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70119

  • Fax or e-mail copies of the same documentation to the Risk Management Analysts:

Email: mpopkin@rtaforward.org
Fax: (504) 648-5236, Attention: Marc Popkin

  • Fax or e-mail copies of the same documentation to:

Email: marcomm@rtaforward.org
Fax: (504) 648-5227


Insurance Documentation Needed

Proof of insurance must include the following coverage and conditions:

(i) Broad Form Contractual Liability; (ii) Premises/Operations, including deletion of explosion, collapse and underground (XCU) exclusions; (iii) Broad Form Property Damage; (iv) Personal Injury Liability, with employee and contractual exclusions deleted; (v) Severability of Interest and Cross Liability endorsement; and (vi) Requestor expressly agrees to waive, and will require its insurer to waive, its rights, benefits and entitlement under the “Other Insurance” clause of its Commercial General Liability policy, with respect to the RTA.

The RTA may require additional insurance coverage and/or limits based on the nature and extent of the project.


Contracts

At least 48 hours before production, a representative of your company must sign and submit certain contracts to the RTA. Your representative must be a high level employee within your organization, such as President, Owner, Co-Owner, Partner, or Vice President. The contracts required are: Release & Waiver of Liability | InvoiceAt least 48 hours before production, a representative of your company must sign and submit certain contracts to the RTA. Your representative must be a high level employee within your organization, such as President, Owner, Co-Owner, Partner, or Vice President. The contracts required are:

  • Release & Waiver of Liability
  • Invoice


Filming Hours

In general, most productions film on weekends when the RTA's services are in less demand by the public. If necessary for your production, the RTA can arrange for filming during weekdays outside of rush hour. Blocked, rush-hour times are Monday through Friday from 5:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The RTA may also have to deny requests for certain filming times and locations when special events are going on in the city.


Stationary Streetcar Filming

Filming along the streetcar lines in any areas must not delay or interrupt the RTA's regularly scheduled public transit services.

To avoid interruptions to the RTA's regular public transit services, filming and photography work that requires the streetcar to be stationary for extended periods of time must be completed at the one of following locations:

  • Canal Streetcar at Harrah's Casino
  • Canal Streetcar at City Park
  • St. Charles Streetcar at Howard Avenue
  • St. Charles Streetcar outside Willow Street Office
  • St. Charles Streetcar at the intersection of Carrollton and Claiborne Avenues


Rates and Payment

  • Workers compensation
    • Coverage A
      • Statutory: In form and in accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana.
    • Coverage B
      •  Employers Liability:
        • $500,000 Bodily Injury by Accident
        • $500,000 Bodily Injury by Disease, Each Employee
        • $500,000 Bodily Injury by Disease, Policy Limit
  • Comprehensive or Commercial General Liability
    • $2,000,000 General Aggregate (per location)
    • $1,000,000 Personal Injury and Advertising Injury
    • The Commercial General Liability policy shall include, without limitation:
  • Automobile Liability
    • $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit (Bodily Injury and Property Damage)
    • Right of Entry, Bus Rental Agreement, and/or Bailment Agreement
    • RTA/Transdev Waiver Agreement

For vehicles, travel time to and from the filming site will be included in the total rental time. The clock begins the moment the vehicle leaves its bus garage and ends when it returns.

RTA personnel must be present for all projects. The appropriate fees will be included in your estimate.

The RTA requires a 10% deposit of total estimated costs or a deposit of $250, whichever is greater. This deposit will book your project. Full payment is due before the start of your project and before the RTA will release any assets. If your project costs run over the estimate, the RTA will bill your company for the balance.

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