This is a continuation of my story of how clueless the NOLA RTA phone operators are.
Back in May I called the ride line saying I wanted to know when the next two busses close to Tulane university with a bike rack would be coming that could take me to the Industrial canal as I wanted to go to bike to an appointment in Chalmette.
They said to go to St. Charles. I said “So I can bring my bike on the street car?” They said no, and seemed clueless.
First, They should have said Claiborne, Feret, or even Magazine, but that was a 10 minute ride from Campus.
Well it turns out that the St. Clause bus actually crosses into the lower 9th. I know they have NOLA RTA there, but figured it was easier to just get to the canal. I thought they mostly just have the ‘lil easy’ (NOTE: they don’t mention ‘lil easy’ on there routes and schedules page. So I don’t know if any of them are flex routes without clicking on them. If none are, I don’t really/readily see info elsewhere on there web page on the ‘lil easy’. Some routes use little busses, but some are ‘lil easy’ routes that I believe are flex routes. Then there is the paratransit that is full flex type routes for the handicap individuals, and require an application and permit to ride. )
If I would have gotten a lift on a bus I would have found out that St. Claude goes there even with a clueless RTA operator, but I ended up riding from Tulane to Chalmette completely on my bike.
Later, I have seen that the RTA is actually the transit authority serving St. Bernard as well — 51-52 St Bernard. (Oh they run the Kenner loop #201 too. That is instead of Jefferson Transit which serves the rest of Jefferson Parish and connects Kenner to Orleans Parish…. since Kenner is on the far edge of the suburbs… go figure)
In conclusion it turns out the #88 St. Claude & #84 Galvez (not sure how its modified with the Claiborne bridge over the canal out of service) both connect the Lower 9th/Chalmette with the rest of Orleans Parish. Caveat Galvez does not go all the way to Chalmette, but then I had my bike. Since my appointment was along Judge Perez Dr. (What Claiborne Ave turns into when it makes it to Chalmette) not St. Claude