Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority

Founded	1973
Headquarters	1617 Wilcox Blvd.
Locale	Chattanooga, TN
Service type	bus service, electric bus, incline railway, paratransit
Routes	17
Web site	carta-bus.org

The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is the mass transit provider for Chattanooga, Tennessee and its vicinity.

Public transportation first appeared on the streets of Chattanooga in 1875, utilizing horse-drawn trollies. The two main routes followed Market Street and Ninth Avenue (now Martin Luther King Boulevard). In 1889, the trollies were replaced with electric streetcars. With the advent of the internal combustion engine, buses began to appear more frequently. In 1941, Southern Coach Lines took over the public transit operations, and the last streetcar ran in 1946.

City control

In 1973, the City of Chattanooga purchased the assets of the former Southern Coach Lines, and formed the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority. CARTA now operates 17 bus routes, trimmed down from 30, as some routes have been consolidated or eliminated.

In addition, CARTA also operates a free downtown shuttle service, utilizing electric buses, which runs between the Chattanooga Choo-Choo (the former Terminal Station Hotel) at 14th and Market Streets and the Bijou Theatre on Broad and 3rd Streets. Public parking is available at both locations. CARTA owns and operates the historic Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, which ascends from the St. Elmo neighborhood to the town of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. CARTA also provides paratransit van services, called Care-A-Van.

List of routes

1. Alton Park

Chattanooga Choo-Choo, The Villages at Alton Park, Piney Woods, Wheeler Homes, Alton Park Health Center, Alton Park Recreation Center, Howard School of Academics & Technology, Eckerd, Bi-Lo

2. North Chattanooga

North Market Street, North Shore Market, Coolidge Park, Renaissance Park, Spears Avenue, Cherokee Boulevard

4. Eastgate/Hamilton Place

UT-Chattanooga, UTC Place, Client Services Building/Human Services, Tennessee Temple University, Brainerd Road, Eastgate Mall, Hamilton Place Mall, Lee Highway, Parkridge Hospital, Warner Park

5. North Brainerd

Eastgate Town Center, Brainerd High School, North Brainerd Community, Eastwood Manor, Foxwood Plaza

6. East Brainerd

Hamilton Place, East Brainerd Road, Gunbarrel Road, Gunbarrel Pointe, Memorial Atrium, Erlanger East, McCutcheon Road, Chattanooga State East, Health Center at Standifer Place, Rainbow Creek Apartments, U.S. Express

7. Housing Authority

Chattanooga Housing Authority located on Holtzclaw Avenue at Citico

8. Eastdale

Battery Heights, Tunnel Boulevard, Signal Centers, Greenwood Road, Foxwood Plaza

9. East Lake

Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Main Street, Dodds Avenue, Goodwill Industries, East Side Community Center, East Lake Courts, East Lake Academy of Fine Arts

10. East Chattanooga

UT-Chattanooga, Dodson Avenue Health Center, Glenwood, Erlanger Hospital, Memorial Hospital, Parkwood Nursing Home, Harriet Tubman Development, Campbell Street, Highway 58, Washington Hills School

13. Rossville

East Lake Courts, 23rd Street, Farmer's Market, Senior Neighbors, Faith Manor

14. "Mocs Express" (free shuttle for UT-Chattanooga students, faculty and staff.)

Route 14 only operates on weekdays during fall and spring terms, when the University is session. Passengers presenting a valid UTC identification card ("Mocs Card") ride for free on all CARTA lines, year-round.

UTC Campus, UTC Place, Engel Stadium

15. St. Elmo

Broad Street, Con Agra, St. Elmo, Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, Bi-Lo

16. Northgate

Northgate Mall, Hixson Pike, Riverview, Highland Plaza, Lowe's, Kmart, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby

19. Cromwell Road

UT-Chattanooga, Erlanger Hospital, Cromwell Hills, Waterford Place, Olan Mills, Main Postal Facility, Bi-Lo Warehouse, Brock Candy, CARTA, Planters, Shepherd Road, Shallowford Road, Vance Road

21. Golden Gateway

Boynton Terrace, College Hill Courts, Convention Center, Jaycee Towers Apartments, Overlook Apartments, Finley Stadium

28. Amnicola Highway

Chattanooga State College, Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Tennessee Riverpark, Police Services Center

Fares

The regular adult fare is $1.50 per ride. Seniors (65+), persons with disabilities and students ride for $0.75. No transfers are given, but a 24-hour pass good for unlimited rides costs $4.00. A 31-day pass costs $50.00. .^{This information may be dated}

External links

• CARTA Web site