IMO it actually would have been more effective to have a statewide plan to use buses from outside NOLA.
School bus drivers in NOLA would be more concerned about getting their families out than driving out others and them coming back to get their families. Unless, of course, you had a plan to train 2,000 guardsmen to get CDLs and drive the buses.
But if you used buses from outside the target area, the drivers would go to NOLA, pick up the passengers and drive them to the shelter areas - and then drive home and would be with their families outside the disaster area.
It would have been hard getting them in considering all traffic, including south-bound lanes, were headed north.
From what I've seen of the cases in District Courts in the Big Easy any kid over 12 seems to be able to drive cars that don't belong to them. They should have just left the keys in them on Friday before the storm. That lot would be empty today.
I would be willing to bet finding drivers in New Orleans for those buses would not have been dificult. Had New Orleans tried to get people out they could have, the city of New Orleans did nothing, absolutely nothing to help themselves even a tiny little bit. And now the people of New Orleans are screwed and thier city is dead. Hopefully other cities might catch a clue and start electing real leaders and real planners and start dealing harsely with the gangsta culture.
No, let the bus drivers bring their families.
Could've just flown in one batch of drivers then had another batch drive in and then have them all drive out. You would have had twice the number of buses on the move plus saved all those from the flood to use later.
LQ