New Orleans RTA Brings Operations, Maintenance In-House

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) completed its transition to bring all agency operations and maintenance functions in-house.

As of Dec. 20, all bus, streetcar, and paratransit operators as well as maintenance personnel will be directly employed by the RTA. Additionally, all RTA operators will now dress in new green or purple RTA-branded uniforms to signify the change in management. The agency will also increase its employees from 64 to 791. (Aside from the listed personnel, RTA’s ferry personnel will remain employed by LabMar Ferry Services, the agency's contracted ferry operator.)

The RTA announced its decision to terminate its contract with Transdev and to directly employ its employees in May 2020. Since 2009, Transdev has provided transportation management services to the RTA, and played a key role in restoring transit service in the years following Hurricane Katrina. By directly managing operations, the RTA is better positioned to manage the financial implications resulting from COVID-19. The RTA also expects significant cost savings in overhead and operational redundancies, which will allow the agency to directly reinvest in improving service and connectivity in the region while focusing on customer service and safety for all riders.

The transition not only signifies a shift in the management structure but also serves as a reset to the core values and culture of the agency. The new RTA will place more focus on public service, improving service reliability, advancing transit equity, investing in workforce development and job creation, and partnering with New Links to build a regional transit system that better meets the needs of RTA’s riders.