As we move into April, I want to thank our riders, employees, and partners for keeping New Orleans moving through a busy start to the year. 

Over the past month, our team has been out in the community, including in New Orleans East with the New Orleans East Matters Coalition, listening to riders and sharing what’s ahead for the New Orleans East Service Improvement Plan and future investments like Bus Rapid Transit and the Downtown Transit Center. Those conversations are helping shape what comes next. 

We also reached an important milestone on the ferry system, surpassing 5 million passenger trips. This is a testament to the continued trust our riders place in ferry service and to the work done to restore reliability, strengthen safety, and rebuild confidence in this critical connection across the river. 

That same focus on progress and impact carried through the month as we recognized trailblazers who shaped transit and paved the way for future generations. In honor of Women’s History Month, we highlighted figures like Maya Angelou, who made history as the first black female streetcar operator in San Francisco.   

We also recognized one of our legacy employees, Mr. Rodney Hamilton, Sr., who was hired in 1967 and retired in 1997 as a driver. Mr. Rodney’s 30 years of service reflects the commitment and pride of the people who keep this system running every day.   

Next month will be a full one as we go into high gear for festival season across the city. It is a time when service, coordination, and clear communication matter most, and our team is focused on delivering. 

Thank you for riding with us. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the final public meeting and Riders’ Advisory Committee discussion on the Universal Accessibility Study. We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to the many riders, advocates, and community members who participated throughout the study by attending meetings, completing surveys, and sharing their experiences. 

This study was designed to better understand the challenges riders face when using transit and to help identify opportunities to make the system more accessible for everyone. Public input has played a critical role in shaping the conversation and ensuring that the rider perspective remains central to this work.  

The project is now awaiting final findings and recommendations from project consultants WSP, which will help guide the next steps for improving accessibility across the system. 

RTA was proud to recently welcome back a living legend, Rodney Hamilton, Sr., whose decades of service helped move New Orleans forward. Mr. Hamilton began his career with RTA in 1967 and dedicated 30 years to safely transporting riders across the city before retiring in 1997.  

As one of the earliest African American employees at the agency, his career reflects a powerful legacy of perseverance, professionalism, and commitment to public service. Throughout his three decades behind the wheel, Mr. Hamilton helped connect communities and ensure that residents across New Orleans could access jobs, education, and opportunity. 

Today, we honor Mr. Hamilton’s contributions to RTA and the lasting impact of his service on the generations of transit professionals who followed in his footsteps. 

RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins joined the New Orleans East Matters Coalition last Saturday for a conversation focused on the future of transit in New Orleans East. The meeting provided an opportunity to hear directly from community leaders and residents about the issues that matter most to them, including service reliability, accessibility, and improving connections within New Orleans East and across the city. 

Feedback shared during the discussion will help inform RTA’s forthcoming New Orleans East Service Improvement Plan. This planning effort will evaluate routes serving the area and explore opportunities to strengthen connections to key destinations, improve service, and better meet the needs of riders in the community. 

This effort reflects RTA’s broader approach to informing service improvements through community engagement, which includes ongoing outreach, in-person and virtual public meetings, rider feedback tools, and direct conversations across the system to ensure rider voices are consistently shaping service decisions. 

Public transportation connects communities, supports jobs, and powers local economies — and on April 17, transit agencies around the world will celebrate that impact during the inaugural World Public Transport Day. 

This global observance highlights the essential role public transportation plays in improving mobility, expanding access to opportunity, and strengthening communities. RTA encourages riders and residents to mark their calendars and take part by riding public transit and recognizing the importance of reliable, accessible transportation in our region.  Join the conversation and celebrate the impact of public transportation by sharing your ride and using the hashtag #WorldPublicTransportDay on social media. 

The Lower Algiers–Chalmette ferry is currently out of service until further notice following a routine inspection conducted by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) that identified issues with the ferry bridge structure. 

Out of an abundance of caution, ferry operations were suspended while LADOTD and state engineers evaluate the bridge and determine what repairs may be necessary. At this time, there is no estimated timeline for when service will resume. 

For updates on the status of the Chalmette ferry, please check the LADOTD website.