By Stacy Anderson
NYT Institute

METAIRIE, La. — For the past several months, Clayton Jones has paid about $1.60 each way to make the long trip from his New Orleans house to Metairie, the suburban town in Jefferson Parish where he works as a custodian at the Lakeside Shopping Center.

Now, Jones says he could lose his job if Jefferson Parish decides to eliminate his bus route. He is worried – and he isn’t the only one.

“The majority of the people who work here use the bus,” Jones said. “This will mess up a lot of people for real.”

Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard is pushing a plan that would raise bus fares and cut service on 12 of the parish’s 17 bus lines.

If the proposal passes, there might not be as many buses in service during the week. Some weekend service, including stops along the Clearview and Causeway shopping and business districts, could be eliminated.

Broussard proposed the changes months ago to help close an operating deficit of $1.4 million in the parish’s department of transportation. The issue is now being debated in public hearings and the proposal might be discussed at a parish council meeting next week.

If the proposal is approved, regular riders in Jefferson Parish would have to pay $1.50 instead of $1.10, and riders with disabilities will pay a dollar more, bringing their fare to $3. Bus transfers will stay at the $0.50 rate.

Officials said the change is in the best interest of the area.

“We can’t spend money we don’t have,” said Al Robichaux, the interim director of the Department of Transit Administration. “We have to correct the deficit, balance budgets and move forward.”

Robichaux said the plan would decrease seven percent to 11 percent of the current 4.4 million riders on the regular fixed route. Up to 22 percent of 90,000 riders on the para-transit route, which assists the disabled and citizens in wheelchairs through the Mobility Impaired Transit System, would also have to find alternative forms of transportation.

Robichaux admitted the new proposal would have a negative impact on the community. But if actions are not taken soon, he said there will be a continuous negative effect on the budget.

Parish leaders are still optimistic, Robichaux said, about finding ways to manage their fiscal problems without permanent service cuts and fare increases.

“Hopefully this is a short-term solution,” Robichaux said.

Residents of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish said they are not happy about the proposal.

“That’s a terrible plan. A lot of people depend on the bus, even people who have cars … and even children. We enjoy using the businesses out here,” said Sean Hart, a waiter who lives near the French Quarter.

Hart and his wife, Aor, frequently ride Jefferson Transit, also known as JeT, to shop at Petco and Borders. “They should put more buses during the summer time,” Aor Hart said.

Robichaux said he didn’t think the change would severely impact consumers, but may isolate employees.

He also said he believed there would not be a significant decrease in the Lakeside, Clearview and Oakwood shopping areas.

“It’s not feasible to keep the lines of service when only a handful uses it,” he said.

Some employees are showing concern.

“It will affect a lot of people. They will miss out on the job… and lose their job,” Jones said. “Catching a cab from New Orleans wouldn’t work. If you miss enough days or if you’re late, you will lose your job.”

Residents predict that the change will hurt more than just the employees.

“It’s gonna hurt the mall and stores around here. It's gonna affect young people, people that don’t have cars. To keep your job, people are going to have to carpool,” said Annie Solar of New Orleans, who often rides the bus to Causeway Boulevard for shopping and doctor visits.

Others feel this plan is hindering and dividing the community.

“They’re not considering the people who make minimum wage,” said Della Carter, a certified nursing assistant from New Orleans. “Rich people are not riding unless they’re traveling.”

Carter said the council should focus on improving the bus service instead of cutting it.

“It runs so slow anyways,” she said. “You wait an hour or two for it to run.

Expressing her anger, if the rates were to increase, she said, “I would get a ride. I wouldn’t even come this far anymore.”

Brenda Carter, a resident of Jefferson Parish, seconds the idea of focusing on service.

“They ain’t never on time to raise nothing,” she said.

Councilmember-at-Large John Young said the Parish Council is still accepting proposals on how to best handle the transit system.

“My position is unweighed until the public input balances with a system bleeding red ink,” Young said. “We will weigh all data and information from the two hearings. I’m reserving my judgment.”

Public hearings will be held Wednesday at the Parish Council Chamber and Thursday at the Jane O'Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library to discuss the proposal. Broussard is scheduled to set the proposal on the agenda at the council meeting on May 25. If approved, riders may pay higher fares and experience route cutbacks as early as July 1.