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CARTA Announces Revised, Increased Services Related to Wando Bridge Closure

CARTA will amend routes and provide extra service during the Wando Bridge closure. The changes include servicing water taxi locations and offering extra park-and-ride locations east of the Cooper River

Some east-west routes have been separated to limit impacts on other parts of the system. All changes will go into effect Monday, May 21. Full details are available at www.ridecarta.com/wandobridgeupdates.

Adopt-A-Stop Program Expands to Entire CARTA Service Area

                                                         

Adopt-A-Stop

CARTA CLEAN COMMUNITIES

Adopt-A-Stop is currently a very successful program operated in the City of Charleston area through a partnership between Keep Charleston Beautiful and CARTA.  It is a bus stop sponsorship program where businesses, organizations and individuals are invited to adopt unsheltered CARTA bus stops.

Starting on May 29, 2018 – Thanks to funding through a grant from Palmetto Pride, this program will be expanded to include the entire CARTA service area.  This gives any organization or individual the opportunity to adopt a stop at any of the hundreds of CARTA bus stops throughout the service area.

The goal of the program is to create litter free bus stops throughout the CARTA service area. The program relies on volunteer involvement from residential and community businesses, organizations, and individuals. Adoption opportunities are for bus stop locations that do not currently have shelters, as those are maintained by CARTA.  CARTA will provide one Adopt-A-Stop sign identifying the adopting organization, company, family, individual, or group.

How it Works

Volunteers throughout the CARTA service area can apply to adopt an unsheltered bus stop.  Once approved a can will be placed at the designated stop and volunteers will be provided with supplies.

Volunteers agree to service the can and pick up litter at the stop once a week for 1 year.

Volunteers are asked to submit a simple clean up report form at the end of each month.  Volunteers will receive recognition at the stop they have chosen to adopt “This stop has been adopted by ABC group”.

This is an easy way to give back and improve the communities we all live and work in.

*Stops that fall in City of Charleston area will follow same criteria but will simply be managed by our partner Keep Charleston Beautiful.

FAQ’s

Any nonprofit, or profit-making, nonpartisan organization or group may become a sponsor of a CARTA bus stop.  This includes groups, individuals, private companies, public agencies, churches, schools, school groups, civic organizations/groups, etc.   Staff will review each registration to determine if the group or individual is approved to adopt the stop.  CARTA reserves the right to decline groups or individuals for a variety of reasons including best business practices.

How long is the contract?  One year with a minimum of 1 visit per week. Volunteers are welcomed to visit more if needed.

Are there any rules or regulations?  Volunteers agree to empty the trash can and pick up litter around the designated bus stop once a week for the length of the adoption term.  Volunteers are asked not to plant flowers, paint or alter the bus stop in any way.

Can I choose my bus stop?

You may choose any CARTA bus stop without a shelter.  We will inform you if your requested bus stop is available.  If that bus stop is not available we will provide other options.

Can I paint the trash can?

CARTA will provide you with a trash can.  If you would like to paint your can that is possible.  Your design must be pre-approved by CARTA staff and should illustrate the theme “A beautiful Charleston” and is not used for advertisement, promotion or self-promotional purposes.

Why Adopt A Stop?

The Adopt A Stop program is a great way to give back and get involved in the community.  Adopting a bus stop helps make the community more beautiful while protecting the environment.  Everyone benefits from this program-property owner, businesses, visitors and transit riders.  As an added bonus you will be recognized by CARTA at that stop.

In return for adopting a stop and volunteering your time to monitor and maintain it, you can have your name displayed on a special Adopt-A-Stop sign located at your adopted stop.

Plus, IT’S FREE TO ADOPT!  There is no charge to participate in Adopt-A-Stop.

Click Adopt A Stop Charleston for an application, complete it and return it to cruze@ridecarta.com or mail it to CARTA 1362 McMillan Ave. Suite 100 North Charleston, SC 29405

Service Changes Effective Sunday, May 6

CARTA will make the following modifications that will go into effect on Sunday, May 6, 2018 to increase efficiency on several routes.  Please click the links below to preview the routes and modifications.

  • Express 1 – An additional trip will be added to schedule southbound schedule.  Last southbound trip (to Downtown) will now be at 6:49 pm Click Express 1 to view new schedule.
  • Express 3Slight schedule adjustments to improve efficiency & on time performance.  Please review departure times, most have changed. Click Express 3 to view new schedule.
    • Note: MUSC – Last departure from Calhoun St. and Jonathan Lucas St. will now be at 7:30 pm.  The 4:26 pm trip will now depart at 4:46 pm.
    • Note: CofC – Last departure from Calhoun and St. Phillips will be 7:24 pm.  The 4:20 pm will now depart at 4:40 pm.
  • Route 10Slight modifications made to Sunday schedule only to improve he efficiency and on time performance of the route.  Click Route 10 to view new schedule.

If you have additional questions, please call customer service at 843-724-7420 and choose option 1.

North Charleston Park and Ride Adjustment Effective Monday, April 30

Starting on Monday, April 30th we will no longer be able to park in the front of our current parking area near Rivers Ave. and we will need more cars to park in the overflow area (purple area).  It is important that we begin this process immediately to ensure that Velocity has ample space as the end of the school year draws near and we move into their busier season.

The specific area includes the first 3-5 rows of the current CARTA area near Rivers Ave. Please refer to the map below to see the exact area.

We will also have tape or rope and signs designating where to park and where not to park.  Please pay attention to signage in the coming weeks and DO NOT AT ANY TIME park in any spaces around the Velocity building or in the T-Mobile areas we have been communicating to you shown in red on the map below; please only park in the yellow or purple areas shown on the map below.  Both businesses have informed us that they will tow vehicles that are parked outside of the designated areas, so please review the map carefully and pay attention to signage in the parking lot.

Currently we have plenty of space in the overflow (purple area), however if we start to run low on spaces we have additional overflow parking available and staff will provide that information when and if this issues occurs.  Staff will continue to be on site periodically each week to monitor and assist with the parking situation.

Recently portions of our land have been cleared in preparation for the next step in turning the space into our future home; you should begin to see more activity in the coming weeks.

We can also anticipate additional adjustments to the current parking area before our area is completed late this summer.

This process has taken longer and is more complicated than anyone anticipated.  We apologize for this ever-changing situation and we thank you for your continued patience as we continue to try to work with all our neighbors until our area is ready for use.

Please know we are trying our best not to cause disruptions to your daily routine while at the same time continuing to provide a place for everyone to park.  Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

*May 2018 correction-In the original image, one row was left in the yellow area that should have been in the no parking area.

 

Hospitality on Peninsula (HOP) Park-and-Ride Ready to Roll

CHARLESTON, S.C. (April 12, 2018) – The Hospitality on Peninsula (HOP) Park and Ride Lot and Shuttle is ready for business. Officials with the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), the City of Charleston, Charleston County and the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau today participated in a ribbon cutting at the parking facility, located at 999 Morrison Drive. Operations begin at 6 a.m. on Sunday, April 15.

“The HOP represents months of collaborative planning and investment, and is a tangible first step toward addressing parking needs on the peninsula and beyond,” said CARTA board of directors chairman Mike Seekings. “We’ve built it, now it’s time for commuters to come, and we expect they will.”

The lot, which sits on City of Charleston and Charleston County property, features approximately 170 spaces, in addition to ticket kiosks, shelters, lighting, bike racks and an attendant booth. CARTA will operate the parking and shuttle services.

“Easing traffic and parking problems is a critical component in improving livability and protecting our citizens’ quality of life,” said Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg. “This new park and ride lot is a small but meaningful step in that direction, and I’d like to thank the County, CARTA and CVB for working so closely with us to make this project a reality.”

The HOP, the first park-and-ride program of its kind on the peninsula, is targeted at workers in the area’s booming hospitality and food-and-beverage industries – though it is open to all commuters – as way to mitigate downtown parking challenges.

“The expansion of safe, reliable, and affordable transportation options will help to revolutionize transit for the hospitality industry,” said Linn Lesesne, Chairman, Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Governors. “The HOP initiative provides our employees who work on the peninsula with a great new option for getting to and from work.”

Key details regarding the lot and shuttle service include:

  • Hours of Operation: The shuttle will operate from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily, with bus service every 15 minutes. Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Cost: The cost to park in the lot is a flat fee of $5 all-day. Once a pass is purchased and displayed on a parked vehicle’s dashboard, commuters can board a HOP shuttle for free.
  • Route: The HOP shuttle will exit 999 Morrison Drive, turn left onto Romney Street, left onto Meeting Street, left onto Broad Street and left onto East Bay Street as it returns to the lot. There will be eight HOP-specific stops on the route, each denoted by a white bus stop sign.
  • Bus Transportation:CARTA will operate the shuttles and the lot itself. Commuters are encouraged to download the Transit app in order to track buses in real-time.
  • Lot Features:
    • Parking attendant on location during all hours of operation
    • Enhanced lighting and security cameras
    • Holy Spokes bike share on site
    • Bike racks available

In addition to the HOP service commuters are also encouraged to explore reduced after-hours fares in City-owned garages and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Government’s (BCDCOG) recently launched Lowcountry Go commuter services program that offers rideshare matches.

The HOP was brought to fruition via a collaborative partnership between CARTA, the City of Charleston, Charleston County, the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the BCDCOG.

Press release.

CARTA 2018 Bridge Run Service Impacts and Detours

Bridge Run Packet Pickup Transportation Availability April 5th & 6th

CARTA Airport Express/NASH Route 4 Services (Public Transit)

  • Airport Express/NASH Rt. 4 will be running normal route service and will be available and accessible for Bridge Runners to travel from Downtown Charleston (Visitor Center Bus Shed) near Ann St. to the Expo in North Charleston to pick up race packets.
  • Bridge Runners will be able to ride for free – Bridge run volunteers will be at the bus shed at the Downtown Visitor Center between Ann St. and John St. with further instructions from 12noon – 8pm on Thursday April 5, 2018 and from 8am-8pm on Friday April 6, 2018.
  • Passengers will be picked up and dropped off at bus stop#431 on International Blvd. at the Charleston Area Convention Center.
  • On Thursday (4/5/18) service will run about every 30 minutes from 12noon until 8pm and on Friday (4/6/18) service will run about every 30 minutes all day from 8am -8pm.
  • Last inbound (into downtown) trip is at 7:45pm.
  • Last outbound (to North Charleston area) trip is 8:25pm

In order to effectively handle anticipated large volumes of passengers, pedestrians and vehicle traffic; slight detours may occur and additional service may be deployed on Route 4 for Thursday and Friday.  Buses will run about every 30 minutes, as traffic permits.

Route Service Thursday April 5th & Friday April 6th

On Thursday, April 5th and Friday April 6th due to Bridge Run traffic combined with the Volvo Car Open and Flowertown festival visitors; expect possible delays due to anticipated high volumes of traffic.

All buses including Express buses will be running on regular schedule but will be affected by the high volumes of traffic.

Any extreme delays may affect the Bus Tracker and Text or Call for Next Bus functions.  Please call customer service for route information if your route is severely delayed at 843-724-7420.

 

Route Service Day of Bridge Run – Saturday April 7, 2018

On Saturday, April 7, 2018 all routes that travel into the downtown area will be affected by road closures, detours and high volumes of traffic, expect possible delays.

  • DASH route 211 will not start until the race is completed.  DASH 210 and 213 will run on a detour.
  • Routes 10, 11, 20, 30, 31, 33, 40, and 41 will all have detours.  Click CARTA 2018 Bridge Run Service Impacts to view all detours and stops that will be missed during the detours along with alternate stops to use until service returns to regular service after the streets are reopened.
  • Express Route 4 will run regular service, but the drop off point downtown will near Cannon and King St.

Mt. Pleasant Service:

In order to be as efficient as possible to transport our passengers around Mt. Pleasant and to Downtown while the bridge is closed during the Bridge Run, Routes 40 and 41 will run as follows on Saturday morning 4/7/18:

  • Rt. 40 has three vehicles dedicated to it.  One bus will circulate only in the Mt. Pleasant area.  Using Towne Center as a transfer point, passengers can transfer to the other two Rt. 40 buses that will travel back and forth to the Downtown area via I526 until the completion of the race.
  • Rt. 41 will run only in Mt. Pleasant on a detour until the race is completed.  It will also stop at Towne Center as a transfer point to the Rt. 40 that will be traveling downtown.

Expect some delays on these routes until the bridge has reopened and service returns to normal.

Click CARTA 2018 Bridge Run Service Impacts  to view detours and missing stops for Saturday service

Bus Tracker and Text or Call for Next Bus features:

Saturday morning and early afternoon the Bus Tracker and Text or Call for next bus features will not be working for impacted routes that will be detouring including:

  • DASH routes 210,211,213
  • Routes 10,11,20,30,31,33, 40,41

The functions should return to normal after routes get back on regular schedule when all streets are reopened at the conclusion of the race.

You Asked: How is CARTA Funded?

Transit Transparency is a series of brochures that provide facts and general information about how public transportation operates in Charleston, South Carolina. The goal is to educate the community about our opportunities and challenges for public transportation today and in the future.

Find the answers to how much it costs to operate CARTA, where funding comes from and more by viewing the first brochure here.

Open Position: Cash Clerk (part-time)

Click Cash Clerk position to apply online

Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments has an opening in our North Charleston office for a part-time Cash Clerk. Hours of work are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 am to 2 pm.

Essential Functions of the position include:

  • Reconcile money received into cash room from multiple bus routes. Verifies accuracy of amounts received.
  • Organizes cash and passes. Separates currency for bank deposit.
  • Complete cash sheets, deposit summaries and discrepancy reports per agency procedure. Prepares bank deposit. Advises supervisor of any discrepancies.
  • Ability to operate and monitor money counting equipment.
  • Follows established agency procedures to maintain secure environment in cash room.
  • Coordinates work with other staff members as needed to provide the smooth flow and exchange of information. Serves as back up to other staff members as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • High School diploma or equivalent and one year of cashier experience preferred.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work well with others. Must be detail orientated and have the ability to maintain confidentiality.
  • Clear results on a thorough background check which could include prior employment verification, personal and professional references, criminal history, credit history, motor vehicle records.
  • General knowledge of Berkeley Charleston Dorchester Counties.

 

Qualified applicants please send your resume:

Fax to:

(843) 529-0305

Email to:

starr@bcdcog.com

Mail to:

BCD Council of Governments, Human Resources

Attention: Star Ross

1362 McMillan Avenue, Suite 100

North Charleston, SC 29405

Apply in person at:

CARTA office located at 3664 Leeds Ave., North Charleston

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