Pilot program will offer door-to-door service for seniors and Tel-A-Ride customers making qualifying trips on the peninsula

NORTH CHARLESTON (Jan. 28, 2021) — The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) next week will launch CARTA OnDemand, a first-in-the-region partnership with transportation network companies Uber and UZURV.

The pilot program will offer door-to-door service for seniors age 55 and up and Tel-A-Ride customers making qualifying trips to or from the Medical District and/or WestEdge Publix on the peninsula. 

The service, which officially launches on Feb. 1, will operate from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Trips with both UZURV and Uber cost $4 each way and rides can be scheduled as much as 30 days in advance or with as little as 1-hour notice.

“The focus of CARTA OnDemand is on one thing: putting our riders first,” said CARTA Board of Directors Chairman Mike Seekings. “The enhanced level of service offered through this partnership with Uber and UZURV will make traveling easier for the most vulnerable transit users. Direct, on-demand access to necessities such as doctor appointments, the pharmacy and grocery store is an unprecedented step forward for public transit in our region, and it is something we hope to replicate in the future.”

CARTA OnDemand will be offered in addition to the existing Tel-A-Ride paratransit service. Riders in need of wheelchair accessibility will be required to use UZURV in order to access CARTA OnDemand. As part of its door-to-door offering, UZURV’s credentialed and certified drivers are able to assist riders to and from vehicles upon request.

The new service is available to seniors 55-plus for up to 20 trips per month to and from the Medical District and an additional 10 trips per month to or from the WestEdge Publix. All CARTA Tel-A-Ride customers are eligible for unlimited use of the service on the Peninsula. (The Tel-A-Ride service application is available here.)

Registration for CARTA OnDemand is now open for anyone 55 and older at RideCARTA.com/OnDemand or in person at the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, 5790 Casper Padgett Way in North Charleston. Current Tel-A-Ride customers are pre-qualified for the program. 

Registered users and Tel-A-Ride customers can book rides through the Uber app or by calling the CARTA OnDemand call center powered by UZURV at (843)-592-3505.

Cash is not accepted for the service; a debit or credit card is required.

Under the program, CARTA will subsidize the difference between the $4 rider fare and the total trip cost, up to $21. Customer service staff will inform riders whether or not trips meet eligibility requirements during the registration process. Tips are not included in the price of the ride and are given at the customer’s discretion.

Personal care attendants can be approved as part of the Tel-A-Ride application. If approved, PCAs would be part of the ride request through UZURV. When booking, Uber riders should note the additional passenger count. PCAs will not be charged.

Masks are required while using CARTA OnDemand.
For full details regarding the CARTA OnDemand pilot program, visit RideCARTA.com/OnDemand.

Transit system partners with DHEC, local governments to provide screening service

NORTH CHARLESTON (Jan. 26, 2021) — The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) will partner to offer Covid-19 testing at two of the transit system’s key hubs.

Beginning Monday, Feb. 1, mobile testing kiosks provided by DHEC will operate at the CARTA Mary Street stop, 63 Mary Street (adjacent to the City of Charleston parking garage), and the CARTA SuperStop, 3376 Rivers Ave. in North Charleston.

As CARTA moves toward an all-electric fleet, there is an outstanding need for comprehensive planning that improves the overall performance of the network. These efforts include a need for research and development of plans to transition to an all-electric fleet. As such, CARTA is seeking qualified firms to lead the development of an Electric Bus Master Plan to support CARTA’s Fleet Modernization Project.

Download the RFQ document here.

CARTA will provide complimentary transportation within its service area to the Arthur W. Christopher Recreation Center warming shelter located at 265 Fishburne Street on Monday, Nov. 30 and Tuesday, Dec. 1.

• When boarding, riders should inform drivers they would like to go to the warming shelter.
• Riders will be taken to the Mary Street transit hub (if boarding a route that services Mary Street) or to a connection point with a route that services Mary Street.
• From Mary Street, Route 213 Lockwood/Calhoun will transport riders to the shelter.
• The last departure from Mary Street will occur at 9:20 p.m. each night.

As CARTA continues to closely monitor the ongoing situation related to COVID-19, the safety of our passengers, employees and community members remains our top priority.

All enhanced protocols, such as requiring a mask when riding, are intended to help keep passengers and staff safe as we move through the pandemic. With that in mind, please note:

• If you feel sick, stay home and do not ride the bus.
• Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
• Cover your mouth with tissue or cough/sneeze into your bent elbow – not into your hands.
• Maintain as much distance as possible between yourself and other passengers and bus operators.

Also, be reminded that free masks and hand sanitizer are available on all vehicles.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.