City: Shreveport, LA

Category: Getting Here, Getting Around

Telephone: (318) 221-RIDE (7433) or (318)

Description: In the 1870s, public transportation consisted of a mule-drawn streetcar. Twenty years later, the electric streetcar that ran on tracks embedded in the roads was introduced and additional routes added. By the late 1930s, the rubberized tire electric trolley replaced the tracked trolley. Many older locals will be glad to describe their experiences of taking one of these trolleys to downtown Shreveport to engage in some window shopping at the large department stores, make purchases, and have a family-night-out meal. Gasoline-powered buses replaced the electric trolleys by 1961, with these buses being superseded by a diesel-powered fleet. SporTran is now considered one of the most efficient and well-managed public transportation systems in the country. Its 17 routes can take you to most places throughout Shreveport and Bossier for $1.25 with a $0.25 transfer charge. If you are 62 years or older and have a SporTran identification card or a Medicare card and a personal ID, such as a driver’s license, you pay only $0.60. Daily and monthly passes are also available, making it the most affordable transportation option available (given the cost of gas, it even beats using your own car). All buses are lift-equipped, making them wheelchair accessible. A Lift Line van service is also available for those persons who are mentally or visually impaired or cannot travel to and from a bus stop due to architectural or environmental obstacles. This curb-to-curb service is available for all persons who qualify; either call or go online for more details. You can also receive more information on these services by visiting the main terminal, located in downtown Shreveport on the 400 block of Crockett Street. You can’t miss it: look for a series of large, white, and tall tent canopies.