LA Swift free bus service extended through 2006 hurricane season

BATON ROUGE, La.  – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Johnny B. Bradberry and Department of Labor Secretary John Warner Smith announced today that LA Swift, the free bus service that transports displaced residents between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, will continue to operate until Nov. 30, 2006.

DOTD and the state Department of Labor, the two agencies coordinating the service, received word today from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) that the service will be extended.

 “Extending the LA Swift service means we can continue rebuilding Louisiana and give citizens who don’t have transportation the opportunity to participate in that process,” said Bradberry.  “We at DOTD feel honored to have provided this service to Louisiana citizens who have come so far in putting their lives back together.”

 “This is welcome news,” said Smith. “LA Swift has proven its worth. It is a lifeline for thousands of people who want to work, rebuild their lives and contribute to the rebirth of New Orleans. I join them in applauding FEMA’s decision.”

Since its inaugural run on Oct. 31, 2005, the daily number of La Swift riders has grown consistently, to where it now averages 750 riders per weekday. LA Swift has provided nearly 125,000 rides between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

            LA Swift offers service between the Baton Rouge Capital Area Transit System (CATS) Florida Street terminal and the Elks Place stop on Canal Street in New Orleans. LA Swift also makes stops at the following locations:

• The Home Depot parking lot, 18139 Highland Road in Baton Rouge near I-10.
• The Chevron Sorrento Super Shop, 7140 La. 22 near I-10.
• The LaPlace Texaco and Huddle House Restaurant, 4325 La. 51 near I-10.

Schedules are available online at www.laswift.com. Schedules and further details are also available through DOTD’s Customer Service Center at (225) 379-1232 or toll-free at 1-877-4LA-DOTD (1-877-452-3683). LA Swift is not a park-and-ride service. Riders should arrange for other transportation to the stops.

LA Swift is an initiative of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. It is coordinated by DOTD and the state Department of Labor in cooperation with the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority and CATS.

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