MAYOR CANTRELL CONGRATULATES RTA ON
SELECTION OF NEW FERRY OPERATOR
NEW ORLEANS – Mayor LaToya Cantrell today congratulated the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Board of Commissioners on its approval of the contract award for the Ferry Maintenance and Operations, including the provision of charter service to Labmar Ferry Services, LLC not to exceed $6.3 million annually.
“I want to commend the RTA leadership for acting swiftly to select Labmar Ferry Service, LLC, as the contractor to handle Ferry Service and Operations. We understand that our residents deserve high-quality and efficient day-to-day operations services for the public ferries that cross the Mississippi River and provide vital connections between New Orleans, Algiers and Chalmette. I also want to thank the RTA Evaluation Committee for doing the hard work to help get this right. We will continue to work together with RTA to improve service and prevent these issues from occurring in the future,” said Mayor Cantrell.
Mayor's Office of Transportation Director Laura Bryan and Intergovernmental Relations Director Art Walton serve on the RTA Board.
As the result of a competitive procurement process, Labmar Ferry Services, LLC was selected to perform all day‐to‐day operational, maintenance, and other support functions for the Canal Street-Algiers Point and Chalmette ferries and provide staff necessary to operate and maintain the ferry services and the associated movable and immovable assets, including the necessary administrative and managerial staff.
Shortly after beginning his tenure as RTA CEO, Alex Wiggins, recognizing systematic issues with RTA ferry operations, began the process — in concurrence with the Board of Commissioners — to re-bid the Ferry Maintenance and Operations contract. Following today’s award, Labmar Ferry and the RTA will commence contract negotiations and will immediately transition service from Transdev, the current contractor.
“Providing reliable and convenient transportation requires coordination and advocacy at all levels and today’s actions would not be possible without Rep. Gary Carter and Sen. Troy Carter’s advocacy for permanent ferry funding from the State,” Flozell Daniels. Jr., Chair, RTA Board of Commissioners. “Today marks a new beginning on the path to advancing the mission of the RTA. We will work closely and diligently with our new partners to ensure that world-class ferry service is not only an expectation but an imperative.”
“Today, is an important milestone in the long journey to addressing ongoing issues with RTA ferry service," said Alex Z. Wiggins, RTA CEO. “As an Algiers native, I know firsthand the importance of a reliable and convenient ferry service for families and I am pleased to announce the award of the Ferry Operations and Maintenance contract which allows Labmar to immediately take over ferry operations and enter negotiations for charter service.”
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