NEW ORLEANS – Beginning Sunday, May 17^th at 3:00 am, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority will return to Saturday service on all bus and streetcar routes and reinstate fare collection as part of the Phase 1 reopening of the City of New Orleans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Bus and streetcar routes will operate on a Saturday schedule, Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, routes will operate on the Sunday schedule. All routes that were previously suspended will be reinstated. Overnight service will resume beginning Sunday night into Monday morning.  The Algiers Point – Canal St. ferry will operate Sunday through Saturday beginning at 6:00 am from Algiers Point with the last trip leaving Canal Street at 9:30 pm. The daily Lower Algiers - Chalmette ferry schedule maintains operations beginning at 6:00 am from Lower Algiers with last trip leaving Chalmette at 8:45 pm.
 
To promote social distancing, speed boarding, and to reduce line queuing, riders are also encouraged to pre-purchase fare via the GoMobile app available in the Apple App or Google Play stores. Fare can also be purchased at local Walgreens stores across the metro New Orleans area, at Ticket Vending Machines along Canal St. Riders without GoMoblie should have their exact fare accessible for swift payment and to mitigate exposure to transit operators.
 
To protect our riders and operators, all passengers must wear a mask or face covering that covers the mouth and nose when using public transit. This requirement does not apply to children under the age of 2 or individuals who are unable to wear a mask or face covering due to a medical condition.
 
The RTA continues to urge the community to practice social distancing when using transit and exit at the rear of the vehicle. These practices will help to further mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within the community.
 
The standard one-way fare for buses and streetcars is $1.25. Express bus one-way fare is $1.50. Two-hour transfers are available for $0.25. Seniors (65+ and older with valid ID) and disabled citizens qualify for reduced bus and streetcar fare of $0.40 with a free 2-hour transfer. Ferry one-way fare is $2.00. Senior and disabled citizen ferry fare is $1.00. Children 2 years and under ride for free. For more information regarding fare, visit www.RTAforward.org/fares-passes.
 

Fare Type	Cost
Standard One-Way Fare (Bus, Streetcar)	$1.25
Express Bus One-Way Fare	$1.50
Transfer (2-hour)	$0.25
Senior Citizen (65+)/ Disabled One-Way Fare	$0.40
Senior Citizen (65+)/ Disabled Transfer	FREE
Standard One-Way Fare (Ferry)	$2.00
Senior Citizen (65+)/ Disabled One-Way Ferry Fare	$1.00

Additionally, RTA instituted social distancing protocols on all buses, streetcars, and paratransit vehicles to ensure that overcrowding is not occurring. Extensive protocols on vehicles include; Automated Passenger Count (APC) overloading report, operator reported overcrowding, buses staged in the field to boost routes per supervisor and dispatcher instruction. Depending on the vehicle size, 10 – 24 passengers can safely ride with adequate spacing per social distancing regulations. Strategic buses are staged throughout the system to enter a route in real-time to mitigate overcrowding. The RTA relies on bus operators communicating conditions to our dispatchers to ensure that strategic buses can be deployed to alleviate crowding. The relief bus will remain in service for at least one full trip or until the passenger volume subsides.
 
Passengers should contact Rideline at 504.248.3900 for point-to-point route information for essential travel destinations.
 
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