The Department of Transportation is coordinating a massive operation involving airplanes, buses, trucks, and ships designed to get supplies and personnel into affected regions and evacuate citizens out of New Orleans. 

The Department has secured more than 1,639 trucks to support the delivery of more than 3,731 truckloads of goods, including more than 25 million MREs (meals ready to eat), more than 31 million liters of water, 56,400 tarps, more than 19 million pounds of ice and 215,000 blankets.

The Department is overseeing the largest airlift on U.S. soil to move supplies into affected regions and evacuate residents out of the city.  Yesterday (Sunday), 70 passenger flights went in and out of the New Orleans airport.  The Department is providing more than 1,200 buses to evacuate citizens.  Approximately 66,000 people have been evacuated thus far by either air or bus.  

The Department has also coordinated with nearby airports and airlines to provide operations and ground and ramp support to help unload and turnaround aircraft as quickly as possible. 

For the first time in history, the Secretary of Transportation requested that the Department of Defense release vessels in the U.S. Ready Reserve Fleet for service moving supplies and personnel into the region, providing temporary housing and moving people out.  The Empire State, Sirius, State of Maine, Wright, Flattery, and Diamond State are to set to arrive in coming days to join the Cape Kennedy and Cape Knox in New Orleans with three other ships being put on standby. 

The Department has worked to restore the flow of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel throughout the country.  Overall, the country is expected to have 95 percent of its refining capacity by the end of this week.

The Department has arranged for oil trucks to load fuel directly from oil pipelines in Collins, Mississippi, for delivery to emergency and relief personnel along the coast.  The Department coordinated propane deliveries to the New Orleans airport to maintain radar operations and arranged delivery of electrical generators for emergency operations in the city.

Key Statistics

•       Approximately 66,000 residents have been evacuated thus far by air and bus. 

•       Yesterday (Sunday), 70 passenger flights went in and out of the New Orleans airport to provide supplies and evacuate residents.

•       U.S. DOT has employed more than 1,200 buses for the evacuation.

•       U.S. DOT has employed more than 1,600 trucks to deliver supplies into affected regions.
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New ships and oil trucks will soon be joining the planes, trains, buses and trucks involved in the massive operation to bring supplies into areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta said today.  The announcement comes as the historic airlift operation at the New Orleans Airport continues to evacuate thousands of residents from the region.

Secretary Mineta became the first head of the Department of Transportation in history to request the Department of Defense to release vessels in the U.S. Ready Reserve Fleet for service moving supplies and personnel into the region and people out.  The Empire State, Sirius, State of Maine, Wright and Diamond State are ready to set sail.  The Cape Kennedy and Cape Knox are already in New Orleans.  These ships have the capacity to move hundreds of personnel and thousands of tons of supplies into the region.

“We need to act now to mobilize resources like these ships that can support what is going to be a long term commitment to rebuilding the region,” said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.  “These vessels are designed to operate in any kind of environment, unloading supplies to help rebuild communities and house essential personnel.”

The Department, working with the U.S. Department of Energy, has helped secure trucks and a direct source of fuel to re-supply emergency and relief personnel along the coast.  The trucks, which were located with the assistance of the American Trucking Associations, will be able to tap directly into a Kinder Morgan pipeline to speed up loading and delivery.

 
In addition, the Department continues to support the largest ever air lift on U.S. soil.  Since yesterday almost 40 civilian and military aircraft have been involved in the operation to bring supplies into the city and flying passengers out.  This operation will, by the end of today have flown over 10,000 residents safely and comfortably out of the area.

The Department is also providing over 1,100 buses to support the evacuation of flooded areas and arranged for a special twelve car Amtrak train to evacuate residents from New Orleans early Saturday morning.  And Department personnel have also secured over 1,300 trucks to support the delivery of over 3,300 truckloads including 25 million MREs, 30 million liters of water, 26,000 tarps and over 17 million pounds of ice.
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By the end of today over 10,000 people will be flown out of New Orleans as part of the largest ever airlift on U.S. soil, Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced.  Nearly 40 commercial and military aircraft have been involved in the round-the-clock airlift from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, bringing in supplies and taking people out, Mineta added.

“Starting virtually from scratch, we’ve worked to put together the largest air lift on U.S. soil in history to get supplies in and take people out of New Orleans,” said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.  “We are going to keep at this for as long as necessary to make sure we get as many people safely out of New Orleans by air as possible.”  

 
Department of Transportation personnel, including air traffic controllers and technicians, have been working non-stop since Hurricane Katrina passed through New Orleans to put in place temporary air traffic control equipment, a tower, generators, fuel, mobile satellite-based communications, and runway, taxiway and ramp lighting to support relief and rescue operations.

Thanks to their efforts, two major runways are now open to air traffic and additional ramp and taxiways have been cleared, Mineta noted.  The Secretary noted that the airlift will continue for as long as needed and that the Department would commit every available resource to ensure success. 

The airlift, know as Operation Air Care, is being made possible with the support of other federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. and foreign commercial airlines, and the men and women of the New Orleans International Airport.
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Passenger trains will join the growing number of buses and aircraft being used to evacuate residents from New Orleans starting as early as midnight tonight, Friday, September 2, Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced today.  The special twelve-car Amtrak passenger train is heading to New Orleans from Baton Rouge and should arrive in the city to begin loading passengers later in the evening, the Secretary added.

The train is expected to arrive at the Avondale Rail Yard, on the south side of the Mississippi River at approximately 11 p.m. (CDT) and will be able to carry 600 passengers.  Buses belonging to the New Orleans Regional Transit Administration will transport residents from the city to the rail yard where they will be provided with water, MREs and a train ride out of the city, Mineta said.

“We have clear tracks and an empty train ready to help get residents safely out of the city,” said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.  “Amtrak gives us yet another way to help move people so we can get the job done as quickly, comfortably and reliably as possible.”

The Department arranged for water and MREs to be loaded onto the train before it left for New Orleans and is arranging for more food and water to be distributed to passengers in Lafayette, Louisiana where the train will stop.  In Lafayette, passengers will transfer to motor coaches that will complete the journey to Dallas, Texas, and other nearby states. 

In addition to tonight’s expected run, the Department is working with Amtrak to operate two more train runs out of New Orleans’ Avondale Rail Yard on Saturday, September 3rd.  By Monday, Amtrak will have two trains in place, which will allow for a total of four runs that day.  The trains will continue operating beyond that time for as long as needed, the Secretary added. 

The Secretary noted that the Department has been working with Amtrak, the American Association of Railroads, major freight operators and other federal agencies including the Department’s Office of the Inspector General to arrange for the routing, supplies and security to be made available for the train evacuation.
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