Rollsigns from Louisiana |
Early transit in the Jefferson Parish began with private operations that included the Orleans Kenner Electric Railway in 1915. More organized transit service developed by the 1930s with bus service along the Kenner corridor replacing the streetcars. Called the Jefferson Line, it was run by the New Orleans Public Service. When Louisiana Rapid Transit (later, the Louisiana Transit Company) took over they modified this service and added new service to the Moisant Airport (what is the current Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport) in 1946, and along Veterans Memorial Blvd. in 1959. In the 1980s, Jefferson Parish Government took over all transit operations and established the government owned and operated transit function. In 1990, the Jefferson Parish Department of Transit Administration was created and took responsibility for overseeing the private management companies contracted to operate the Jefferson Transit system. Until 2006, Jefferson Parish contracted fixed-route operations of Eastbank public transit and Westbank public transit under two separate management companies, with a third company managing the parishwide paratransit system. As the cost to operate the transit system rose significantly following the 9/11 attacks, Jefferson Parish sought to better control costs by consolidating all transit operations under a single contract. In 2006, all fixed-route operations were solely managed by Veolia Transportation, Inc., and in 2008, Veolia took on the paratransit operations as well. The current Jefferson Transit (known as "JeT") serves the urbanized portion of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, as well as service to New Orleans and the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. |
Jefferson Parish, LA |
Jefferson Parish Grumman Flxible 870 #J107, displaying a front rollsign similar to this one, is seen at the S. Claiborne and S. Carrollton terminal in the early 1980s. (Photo from the Michael Strauch 'streetcarmike' collection, used with permission.) |