When a hurricane threatens New Orleans and the city government calls for an evacuation, not everyone in the city has the means or ability to travel to a safe place. The City of New Orleans has developed a program called the City-Assisted Evacuation Plan (CAEP) to help people who cannot evacuate on their own.

To read the official CAEP brochure, click here.

During an evacuation, the RTA puts all available vehicles, drivers and other resources into use in order to help the city with its evacuation plan. We use our buses to transport people from designated pick-up points around the city to the Union Passenger Terminal/Amtrak Station (UPT). From the UPT, residents are then taken out of town on other transportation arranged by the City of New Orleans.

How to Participate in the City-Assisted Evacuation Plan

1. Register with the city

The City of New Orleans requires everyone who knows they will need help evacuating to register with the CAEP. People should register well before any hurricane enters the Gulf of Mexico.

You can register through the city’s 311 Call Center by simply dialing 311 on your phone. You can also register online here

If you do not register in advance, you will not be turned away during an evacuation. But registering early will help the city prepare better and will make your evacuation experience go more smoothly.

2. Go to an evacuation pick-up location

The City of New Orleans has designated a number of evacuation pick-up locations around the city. These locations are at public places such as parks, libraries, schools, and community centers. In addition, four senior-citizen centers have been designated as evacuation pick-up locations. At these locations, senior citizens and disabled residents will receive extra assistance.

A map of the evacuation pick-up locations is included in the CAEP brochure.

During the evacuation process, there is no normal RTA service. You will not be able to take an RTA bus to any pick-up location, because the RTA will be using all buses to bring passengers from pick-up locations to the UPT. You will need to find your own way to the closest pick-up location.

3. Board the bus

Police officers and other officials will be present at each pick-up location to assist with the boarding process. The ride to the UPT is free. When you get off at the UPT, other officials will be there to direct the next stage of your evacuation out of the city.

What You Can Bring on Board

Luggage
During a city-assisted evacuation, the RTA allows one medium-sized suitcase per person on board.

You will be asked to carry your luggage on your lap or at your feet during the ride. RTA buses do not have storage areas, and there is simply no room for large amounts of luggage.

Animals
If you have a small pet (about 15 pounds) that can be held on your lap or can fit in a lap carrier, it can ride with you on the RTA bus.

If you have a larger animal, an aggressive animal, or a pet that is hard to control, it can’t ride with you on the RTA. Likewise, if you have a number of pets, they cannot all ride with you on the bus to the UPT. When you have a pet that is not allowed on an RTA bus, a police officer at the pick-up location will call the SPCA to dispatch a vehicle that can bring your pet to the UPT. You will be asked to stay at the pick-up location with your animal. When the pet transport vehicle arrives, you and your pet will ride separately.

At the time you register with the CAEP, you will be asked to register your pet’s information as well. You and your pet will be assigned an ID number that will allow state officials to track where everyone in your family is going, including your pet.

Disabled Riders

The RTA normally reserves its paratransit services for our customers who have received special certification under the American with Disabilities Act. These rules are relaxed during a city-assisted evacuation.

Paratransit buses are put in service to bring disabled passengers to the four senior citizen centers that have been designated as CAEP pick-up locations. For citizens with severely limited mobility who cannot ride paratransit buses, the city uses ambulances to help them evacuate.

At the time you register with the CAEP, you will be asked if the city will need to assist with any disabled family members during the evacuation process.

RTA Service Before a Hurricane

When a hurricane threatens New Orleans, the RTA starts its process of shutting down service and securing its vehicles and facilities. There is no strict timeline outlining when services stop, because we make adjustments according to the hurricane’s path, strength, speed, and predicted time of landfall.

Generally speaking, we follow these overall guidelines:

• The RTA begins transitioning from normal service to emergency mode between 48 and 72 hours before landfall.
• Streetcar service stops around 54 hours before landfall.
• Regular bus service stops about 48 hours before landfall.
• Between 24 and 48 hours before landfall, RTA buses are put into service of the City-Assisted Evacuation Plan.
• All RTA services stop around 24 hours before landfall.