Bus transit system delayed

Residents will have to wait a little longer to see bus signs like this spring up across the parish. Still, once the bus transit system is in place, it will provide curbside service to residents.

Plans for system that will provide curbside pick-up, trips to New Orleans were supposed to be finalized in January

The developers of a bus transit system that would provide much needed transportation both around the parish and even into New Orleans hope to present their proposal to the River Parishes Transit Authority on June 4.

Plans were originally set to be finalized in January with the buses rolling through the parish soon after.

“The proposal is very big and we are still reviewing it,” Martha Cazaubon, the senior planner for the South Central Planning and Development Commission, said. “We just haven’t had a lot of time to go over it recently, but we hope to have a status update at the June 4 meeting.”

Once the SCPDC finishes their review, they hope to discuss the project with the potential contractors.

The planning for the transit system first got underway back in 2000, when the South Central Planning and Development Commission was awarded a grant from the Federal Highway Administration to assist the River Region in devising a transit service plan.

The commission then sent out a Request for Proposals and the deadline for receiving proposals was March 4 of that year.
The plan for St. Charles and St. John will provide connections from each parish to both St. James and Kenner. From Kenner, riders will be able to hitch a ride all the way to New Orleans.

The proposed transportation system would serve an approximate population of 101,298 people living within the 143 square-mile area of the two parishes.

The system will include both advanced reservation and demand-response trips, as well as same day add-on trips as can be reasonably accommodated.

The system will provide service to the general public as well as service to the physically and mentally disabled, elderly and low-income residents.

The River Parishes Transit Authority estimates that there will be 203 one-way trips per day.

One major highlight of the system will be curbside service.
For instance, if a rider lives in Hahnville but needs a ride to Boutte, they just have to call the bus driver who will then look at the route and tell the resident when a bus will be in that area to pick them up. The driver will then pick up that person when they are ready to return home.

Drivers shall also assist riders when boarding the vehicle.
Bus service would be five days a week, with service hours ranging from 5:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. Both parishes will be split into six zones, with a certain bus assigned to patrol each zone.

Brent Petit, president of the transit authority board, says that about seven busses will be purchased for the transit system.

Plans for fares have not been finalized yet, but they should be around $2 for a one-way trip, $4 for a daily pass or $60 for a monthly pass.

In comparison, the New Orleans and Baton Rouge transit systems charge about $1.25 and $1.75, respectively, for a one-way trip. However, the RPTA system will cover a greater area than any of these and provide curb-to-curb service.