NEW ORLEANS – Tomorrow, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) launches an awareness campaign to promote safety around our streetcar lines as part of Rail Safety Week (Sept. 18-24). The campaign is part of a grant awarded to RTA by Operation Lifesaver, Inc., which works with rail partners across North America.

Throughout the week, RTA will be encouraging residents and visitors to be mindful of the streetcars’ right-of-way along our five streetcar lines to prevent crashes and injury. Riders will learn more about best safety practices through messages on our buses, streetcars and ferries and at our RTA facilities, including informational videos. Additional safety messages will be available on our website and social media platforms and for employees at RTA facilities.

The safety campaign encourages everyone to use extreme caution near streetcars. This includes drivers paying attention when making left or U-turns at, or directly crossing, streetcar line tracks, as well as pedestrians and bicyclists navigating the neutral grounds. This is a matter of law, per City of New Orleans, Ordinance Sec. 154-389, which states that the driver of a vehicle near or on the tracks is required to yield to streetcars. 

You can also visit our Rail Safety page on our RTA website at norta.com.

Please follow RTA on social media as we continue to promote awareness for Rail Safety Week with helpful videos and other messages using the hashtag #STOPTrackTragedies. We’re on Instagram at @neworleansrta, Facebook at @NewOrleansRTA, and on X (formerly Twitter) at @RTAForward.

Rail Safety Week is a collaborative effort among Operation Lifesaver, Inc., state Operation Lifesaver programs, and rail safety partners across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Rail Safety Week is spearheaded by Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), Operation Lifesaver Canada and the Mexican Association of Railroads (AMF), making it a true North American effort.