Getting Here, Getting Around
Located in the northwest corner of Louisiana, Shreveport–Bossier City functions as the metropolitan oasis for the Ark-La-Tex (this term indicates our close proximity to East Texas and Southwest Arkansas). No, you cannot see New Orleans from here, but you will certainly experience some of its charm in aspects of our cooking and culture. With the Texas border only 19 miles away, expect to see many of that state’s license plates on vehicles, especially during the weekends when our friends to the west come to town to try their luck at the casinos, shop, and eat. Their presence may explain our fascination with Tex-Mex cuisine, big trucks, SUVs, belt buckles as large as serving trays, and our can-do attitude. And Arkansas keeps us humble, making sure we never lose that important part of our rural identity or view the world in terms more complicated than necessary.
Dallas is approximately three hours by car and less than an hour by plane. Little Rock takes about three and a half hours to reach if driving and probably the same length of time if flying, since there are currently no direct flights from Shreveport to that state capital. New Orleans, the first city that comes to mind whenever Louisiana is mentioned, takes the average driver six hours to reach; less if your foot is made of lead and you fly down I-49 like a greased bat from the netherworld. All this to say that Shreveport and Bossier City function as a point of convergence for people traveling from one of these cities to another. Fortunately, our hospitality, amenities, and lifestyle convince many people to spend a few days in the area or even relocate.
I-20 passes through both cities and serves as a major highway in the South, connecting with I-10 at Kent, Texas, in the west and I-95 in Florence, South Carolina, in the east. I-49 currently connects with I-10 in the south in Lafayette and will soon continue north of Shreveport, ultimately terminating in Kansas City; plans also call for this interstate to be extended in the south to reach New Orleans. In the future, I-69 is to become the next great superhighway, stretching from the Mexican border into Indiana. When completed, this interstate will intersect both I-49 and I-20 at points only a few short miles from Shreveport–Bossier, making us a major transportation and commerce hub and transforming us into the next great Twin Cities of the South.
Traffic in the Twin Cities is quite manageable, unless I-20 is being repaired or it is Saturday afternoon at either the intersection of Youree Drive and East 70th Street in Shreveport (a mall is located on each corner) or the shopping corridor on Airline Highway in Bossier. Of course, Wal-Mart Superstores function as car-magnets, as can the casinos. Nevertheless, navigating the streets is easy, especially when you learn the shortcuts and back roads. Should you want to leave the driving to somebody else, the public bus system, SporTran, is safe and reliable, and a taxi is only a phone call away. A local not-for-profit organization, A Better Shreveport (www.abettershreveport.blogspot.com), hopes to create biking routes to encourage people to pedal around the town.
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Address: 1550 Airport Dr.
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Address: 5103 Hollywood Ave.
3. Allegiant Air
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (702) 505-8888
4. American Airlines
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (800) 433-7300
5. Continental Airlines
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (800) 525-0280
6. Delta Air Lines
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (800) 221-1212
Description: Nationwide Parking Services provides 1,400 spaces of short-term, long-term, and Premiere VIP parking at some of the lowest costs in the nation for airports. Currently, it costs 75 cents per 15 minutes for any of the three lots. The daily rate for the short-term lot, located across the street from the terminal, is $8.50. Long-term parking, located farther from the terminal behind the short-term lot, charges $7.50 per day. Should you wish to pamper yourself and the small Premiere lot, located next to the terminal, is not full, splurge and pay $9.50 per day. If you are planning to spend several days away, the weekly rate of $37.50 makes the long-term parking quite the bargain. Parking can be paid for either with cash or a major credit card.
7. Avis
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (318) 631-1839 or (800) 331-12
Description: Based at the airport, Avis offers worry-free rentals, complete with roadside service, and GPS navigation.
8. Budget Car Rental
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (318) 636-2846 or (800) 527-07
Description: Promises the lowest rate and that the price you are quoted is the price you will pay—always. You might consider renting a Budget fuel-efficient “Green Machine.”
9. Enterprise Rent-A-Car
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (318) 631-8999 or (800) 261-73
Description: In addition to the airport location, there are five locations in Shreveport and Bossier City.
10. Hertz Rent-A-Car
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (318) 636-1212 or (800) 654-31
Description: Hertz operates two other locations in Shreveport and Bossier. If you are at least 21 but not yet 25, you can rent a car for an additional charge.
11. National Car Rental
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (318) 636-2734 or (877) 222-90
Description: National offers a wide variety of cars from which to choose and several specials; visit the Web site for details and coupon ID numbers.
12. Thrifty Car Rental
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (318) 621-8500 or (800) 847-43
Description: This company offers the online customer the “Wild Car” option: you will receive at least a mid-size car or larger at price lower than the midsize rate. Who knows? You could be driving a luxury SUV. Worth the chance.
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Address: 408 Fannin St.
15. A-1 Area Taxi
City: Shreveport, LA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (318) 222-0077