New Orleans needs a budget that moves people

A shrinking population, a municipal budget crisis, hostile state and federal governments, and climate change wreaking havoc on our coastline. These are just a few reasons New Orleanians have been told, over and over again, that we can’t have nice things. 

Our most essential public services aren’t properly funded, and the needs of our most vulnerable populations are systemically ignored. To address these challenges head-on, access is key. 

The next generation wants to stay, work, invest in, and ultimately thrive in our city, but they need a way to reach the opportunities they seek. Prioritizing a robust transit system can make this and more a reality. 

We wrote about the youth Opportunity Pass program last week. Its origins, created by a broad group of partners, is important. In 2024, alongside our partners at the Big Easy Budget Coalition, Ride New Orleans advocated for and secured $2.5 million in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to fund zero-fare transit for youth. We partnered with the New Orleans Children and Youth Planning Board, the New Orleans Public Library, the Regional Transit Authority, and the City of New Orleans to launch the Opportunity Pass Pilot Program. 

The program offers free and unlimited rides on transit for Orleans Parish youth ages 16-24. Administered by RIDE, the program removes financial barriers and provides free, zero-fare transit access to more than 11,500 young people. 

Usually, a pilot program that has been successful for two years would be embraced and given sustainable funding. Instead, after two years of zero-fare transit for youth, the Opportunity Pass Pilot Program is ending, and without sustainable funding, the program’s future is unclear. 

The RTA’s budget can’t accommodate free fares, so the money must come from somewhere for young riders to continue riding for free. The New Orleans city council recently signed a resolution supporting the program, declaring that the city would house and administer it once it was in a financial position to do so. With the city’s support, RIDE has begun seeking philanthropic and private funding to keep the program afloat  while we explore long-term solutions. 

Youth aren’t the only ones in the city struggling to access opportunities. Right now, access to work is an enormous barrier for far too many.

According to an Access to Jobs analysis conducted by RIDE New Orleans, New Orleanians who rely on transit can only reach 32.8% of  regional jobs in an hour. Those living in Jefferson Parish can only reach about 17%. With a car, these numbers jump to over 99%. It’s impossible to expect riders to consistently get to work and school when the system isn’t set up for that.

Unsurprisingly, Black and brown New Orleanians are disproportionately affected by lack of access. 

A 2019 New Orleans Regional Planning Commission survey of the region’s transit riders found that, among resident riders, 67% are Black, 43% have a household income of less than $25,000 per year, and 53% do not have access to a car. Many of our hospitality workers, essential staff, youth, and elders rely on transit to navigate the city, and they deserve so much better. 

But I have a car. Why should I care about transit? 

Quality public transit benefits everyone in our region, even car owners. For starters, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) reports that every dollar invested in transit returns $5 to the economy. That means more jobs, money invested in local businesses, community development and beautification, and higher property values along transit routes. 

Still not convinced? Owning a car is cost-prohibitive. An individual can spend upwards of  $13,000 a year  on gas, insurance, and replacing tires every couple of months according to APTA because, as we all know, New Orleans streets are built different. 

During RIDE’s outreach sessions, which included focus groups with youth using the Opportunity Pass, we asked riders to describe their ideal transit system: What does it look like in your wildest dreams? What does it feel like? Where can you go? 

The top responses are rarely luxurious: “buses that don’t break down,” “getting to my job on time,” and “maybe a shelter or bench at my stop.” 

With thoughtful and intentional transit funding, requests like these could, and should, be the bare minimum. Participants don’t even dream of bus rapid transit, new transit centers with functional amenities, or service that runs every 15 minutes. They just want their bus to show up. 

Surely there are funds set aside for such humble asks, you may say. Not exactly. 

In fact, the City’s budget currently has no dedicated line item for transit, and New Orleans hasn’t had an Office of Transportation for years. Locally, the City funds RTA bus and streetcar operations primarily through the general-use one-cent (1%) sales tax that’s been in place since 1985. 

Growing our transit system into a public service that actually serves our community will take more than visioning alone. It requires advocacy, meaningful community engagement, communication between agency and city leadership, and, like most things, money. 

So how do we get there?

Dedicate a line item in the city budget to transportation, invest in an Office of Transportation, and give our transportation system room to grow as the city balances its budget. Ensure our local leaders and the business community know what’s at stake and have the information they need to prioritize transit in project planning conversations, at City Hall, and every time the budget is discussed.

New Orleans needs a transit system that works for everyone in our city, whether they rely on it or not. 

Shirani Jayasuriya is director of outreach and communications for RIDE New Orleans, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 to advocate for world-class, equitable public transportation across the Greater New Orleans region.