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RTA Is Giving Free (Sort Of) Rides To New Orleans' Mass Vaccination Site

Ben Depp
/
For WWNO

New Orleanians who need a ride to get vaccinated can now get one for free from the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) — as long as they can get to a pickup hub.

A free shuttle will be taking people from three pickup spots around the city to the mass vaccination site at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center beginning Thursday. The shuttles will run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

Pickup spots are at:

  • Duncan Plaza, 343-349 Loyola Ave., departing every 15 minutes
  • Algiers Park and Ride, 2501 Wall Blvd., departing every 45 minutes
  • East New Orleans Walmart, 6000 Bullard Ave., departing every 45 minutes

If you have to take public transportation to get to a pickup point, though, it's not entirely free. RTA will charge the regular fare for those trips.
The city announced on Wednesday its partnership with LCMC Health to open a mass vaccination site in Hall J of the convention center.

LCMC started making appointments for Louisiana residents who meet the Phase 1A and Phase 1B requirements at 7 a.m. today. LCMC and the city are encouraging people to sign up at LCMChealth.org/vaccine or to call 504-290-5200. The LCMC Call center is open seven days a week.

RTA riders will be required to wear face masks and practice social distancing. For more information, visit RTAforward.org, call Rideline at 504-248-2900, or follow @NewOrleansRTA.

Ashley Dean is the digital news editor for New Orleans Public Radio. Before coming to New Orleans, she was the editor of Denverite, a digital news startup now under the Colorado Public Radio umbrella. Prior to that she was a copy editor and features writer at the Denver Post, and before that, a music reporter for the Colorado Daily. She graduated from Columbia University with a master's degree in journalism and from Northeastern University with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

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