METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Orion buses help New Orleans handle ridership growth

The transit agency came up with the new vehicle design when it recently went through a rebranding campaign led by the RTA board of commissioners and implemented by the local and national marketing department of Veolia Transportation, the delegated management company of the RTA.

Nicole Schlosser
Nicole SchlosserFormer Executive Editor
September 21, 2011
Orion buses help New Orleans handle ridership growth

New Orleans RTA came up with a new vehicle design for its Orion buses when it recently went through a rebranding campaign led by the agency's board of commissioners and implemented by Veolia Transportation's marketing department.

1 min to read


New Orleans RTA came up with a new vehicle design for its Orion buses when it recently went through a rebranding campaign led by the agency's board of commissioners and implemented by Veolia Transportation's marketing department.

To accommodate growing demand, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in New Orleans and Veolia Transportation have put more than one hundred  Daimler Buses North America Orion buses on the streets, covering its 180-square-mile service area and meeting the spike in ridership demand.

The transit agency's ridership has grown exponentially since 2009, Justin Augustine, vice president, Veolia Transportation, said, due to many former New Orleans residents returning after leaving because of Hurricane Katrina and greater demand for public transportation from that population. In 2010, ridership jumped 18.5 percent with an increase of 6.5 percent in revenue hours, according to an RTA ridership report.

Ad Loading...

The transit agency came up with the new vehicle design when it recently went through a rebranding campaign led by the RTA board of commissioners and implemented by the local and national marketing department of Veolia Transportation, the delegated management company of the RTA.

The RTA and Veolia received 39 Orion buses in 2008 and 75 in 2010, totaling 114 vehicles. The new vehicles are being used in active fixed-route service.

Selected through a competitive bid process, the vehicles are ADA-accessible and environmentally sustainable, using a 5 percent biodiesel blend.

"The buses are used in fixed-route service and allow us to provide efficient and reliable service to the citizens of New Orleans," Augustine said. 

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Bus

County and agency officials break ground in front of a red and yellow King County Metro public transit bus.
Busby StaffMarch 20, 2026

Seattle’s King County Breaks Ground on RapidRide I Line to Expand High-Capacity Transit

The 17-mile RapidRide I Line will bring faster, more frequent service and improved regional connections across South King County.

Read More →
paratransit bus
SponsoredMarch 16, 2026

Measuring the True Cost of Paratransit Fleets

What truly drives the cost of a paratransit fleet? Beyond the purchase price, seven operational factors quietly determine maintenance frequency, downtime, and long-term service reliability. This whitepaper explores how these factors shape lifecycle cost and what agencies should evaluate when selecting paratransit vehicles.

Read More →
Cover photo for METROspectives with The Bus Coalition
Busby Alex RomanMarch 13, 2026

Inside The Bus Coalition’s Push for Stronger Federal Transit Investment

In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cover photo for Biz Briefs dated March 6, 2026
Technologyby Staff and News ReportsMarch 6, 2026

Biz Briefs: Tolar Manufacturing Supports PSTA Spark Service and More

Stay informed with these quick takes on the projects and companies driving progress across the transportation landscape.

Read More →
Passengers boarding a PRT bus
Busby StaffMarch 2, 2026

Pittsburgh Unveils 'Bus Line Refresh' Plan

Originally introduced in 2023 as the Bus Line Redesign, the effort has evolved into a more targeted update that maintains familiar routes while improving reliability, frequency, evening and weekend service, and connections across Allegheny County.

Read More →
Stickers and a paper bus for S3 bus line
Busby StaffMarch 2, 2026

Seattle's Sound Transit Breaks Ground on S3 Bus Line

S3 will connect communities along SR 522 with fast, reliable, battery-electric bus service from Shoreline South Station to Bothell via Kenmore and Lake Forest Park. 

Read More →
Ad Loading...
PRT bus stop with articulated bus.
Busby StaffFebruary 20, 2026

Pittsburgh Regional Transit Announces All-Door Boarding on the University Line

All-door boarding will allow passengers to pay while entering the front, middle, or rear doors of the University Line’s 60-foot articulated buses.

Read More →
Patrick Scully, president at Complete Coach Works.
Managementby StaffFebruary 18, 2026

Complete Coach Works Names Patrick Scully President

He succeeds the company founder, Dale Carson, who remains chairman of the board. 

Read More →
A MARTA articulated bus.
Busby StaffFebruary 13, 2026

Atlanta's MARTA Sets Date for 'A-Line' BRT Launch

The five-mile Rapid A-Line connects Downtown Atlanta to Capitol Gateway, Summerhill, Peoplestown, and the Beltline’s Southside Trail.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A Picture of Ster Seating's Parent/Child transit seating product.
Technologyby StaffFebruary 10, 2026

Ster Seating, Maryland Transit Launch First Parent/Child Transit Seat in North America

The configuration uses Ster Seating's Gemini seat platform to create a family-friendly floor layout specifically engineered to accommodate parents traveling with young children.

Read More →