UPDATED FACT SHEET – Friday, November 04, 2005
Monday, November 07, 2005 at 12:00:00 AM
- LA Swift, the free bus service that gives hurricane-displaced citizens transportation between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, has given citizens at least 1,161 free bus rides. The service is showing steady growth, with an impressive 83 percent increase in ridership from Monday to Thursday and has shown an increase in total ridership every day since the service began Monday, Oct. 31. (Ridership numbers appear at the bottom.)
- The 176 passengers who used the service Friday morning represent a 79 percent increase over Monday’s usage. Numbers for Friday’s total ridership will not be available until the last bus arrives in Baton Rouge from New Orleans (approximately 8:30 p.m. CST).
- For the first trip to New Orleans on Friday morning, LA Swift had to dispatch an additional bus to handle the overflow crowd of people wanting to use the service. That was the first time LA Swift had to use an extra bus for any of its trips.
- DOTD, Department of Labor, RTA and CATS are coordinating the service, which is an initiative of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. FEMA has committed buses and drivers for a pilot program through November 14. The service will be evaluated during that time frame to determine if it is meeting a critical need.
- RTA provides free service between CATS' Florida Boulevard terminal and Renaissance Village, the FEMA residential park on Groom Road, and throughout New Orleans.
- Schedules and information are available at 1-877-4LA-DOTD and at www.laswift.com.
Date BR-NO NO-BR Totals
10/31 98 60 158
11/1 137 128 265
11/2 151 121 272
11/3 139 151 290
11/4 176 * 176*
Totals 701 460 1,161
* total numbers not yet available