Service Update 4 Tropical Storm Debby – Service set to resume at 12pm

11am (8/07/24) All CARTA service will resume at 12noon and routes are planning to run as regularly scheduled, with the exception of Rt. 203.  As we continue to see the effects of Tropical Storm Debby, officials continue to closely monitor the weather and road conditions and some service may be paused if conditions become unsafe.  Riders should also expect some service delays as we ramp back up; to full service and some detours as several roads remain impassable.  We hope to resume all routes to full schedule as quickly as possible.  Check back periodically at ridecarta.com, at RideCARTA on social media, and the Transit app for the latest updates as the storm progresses.

Service Update 3 Tropical Storm Debby

9am (8/6/24) – Due to deteriorating weather conditions and multiple areas of flooded and impassable roads related to Tropical Storm Debby, at this time CARTA is suspending service until further notice.  Officials are continuing to monitor weather and road conditions and will resume service in areas as conditions permit.  Check back periodically at ridecarta.com, at RideCARTA on social media, and the Transit app for the latest updates as the storm progresses.

Service Update 2 Tropical Storm Debby

 Charleston Peninsula service suspension

8pm (8/5/24) – In conjunction with the closure of the Charleston downtown peninsula, all CARTA routes will be suspended on the peninsula starting at 11pm on Monday 8/5/24.  Officials expect service to resume Tuesday morning at least by 11am, but will make that determination Tuesday morning, weather and road conditions permitting.  Check www.ridecarta.com for updates.

• All CARTA service will be suspended on the peninsula starting at 11pm 8/5/24.  All routes will make their last trips within the 10pm hour and will cease operations by 11pm.
• All Express service currently suspended and will resume when possible.
• The last Route 10 bus will depart from Meeting and Mary at 10:30pm.
• The last Route 203 will run at 10:20pm.

Shelter Transportation

CARTA is currently providing free service the shelters.  Passengers will need to board a bus that travels to the Superstop and let the driver know they would like to go to the shelter.

• Passengers with pets: Once at the Superstop, they will transfer to a shuttle to be transported to Leeds Ave. shelter.
• Passengers without pets: Passengers will transfer to a shuttle at the Superstop and be transported to Dunston Elementary.
• These shuttles from the Superstop the shelters will run from 6:30pm to 9pm.

Other CARTA service

Determinations regarding all remaining CARTA service still to be determined.  We strongly encourage riders to make their preparations as soon as possible as additional service disruptions and suspensions are possible as conditions deteriorate.  Check back periodically at ridecarta.com, at RideCARTA on social media, and the Transit app for the latest updates as the storm progresses.

Tropical Storm Debby – Inclement weather threat 08/05/24

11am (8/05/24) – CARTA officials continue to closely monitor Tropical Storm Debby.  There may be some delays and potential service disruptions associated with the storm over the next few days.  We are encouraging all riders to take any trips to prepare for inclement weather and conduct all business as soon as possible due to possible service disruptions. Riders are encouraged to follow us @RideCARTA on social media and check the website periodically for any announcements regarding any service changes.  Announcements and alerts will also be posted on the Transit app and Google Transit.

 CARTA launches mobile ticketing in Transit, the agency’s official app

Charleston, South Carolina – Mobile ticketing for CARTA is now available in the Transit app. This marks an important milestone: customers can now ride the CARTA system with one easy-to-use app for trip planning, real-time tracking, multimodal connections, and fare payment.

CARTA first launched mobile ticketing in the Token Transit app, and now builds on their offerings, providing access to mobile ticketing in the same app riders already use to plan and track trips.

CARTA riders can purchase tickets in Transit by tapping the “Buy ticket” button at the bottom of their screen. Users can create a Transit account and enter their credit card information to purchase a ticket. When boarding, riders can simply activate their ticket, then show it to their operator to ride.

By enabling riders to plan, track, and pay for their trips in one app, CARTA is providing customers with reliable and intuitive service at every step of the journey. Through this partnership with Transit, a single sign-in enables a seamless multimodal experience. CARTA riders only need to enter their payment information once in order to plan trips and purchase fares across multiple modes and services – in Charleston, as well as in other areas across the country.

The launch of mobile ticketing is a new chapter in Transit’s partnership with CARTA. CARTA riders already receive a free upgrade to Royale, which unlocks all features in Transit including all nearby lines, later departure times, and additional trip plans, and adds CARTA’s branding to the app for their riders. With Royale, and now the addition of mobile ticketing in Transit, the agency continues to prioritize providing a seamless digital experience for customers using their system.

“We are committed to constantly improving the customer experience for our riders and making it simple and easy for everyone to ride the bus.” said CARTA Board Chairman Mike Seekings.

“Now riders can plan a trip, track their bus in real-time and buy their fare all with our one convenient official app.”

“We want to make riding public transit as simple and stress-free as possible, and this solution helps do that,” said David Block-Schachter, Chief Business Officer at Transit. “CARTA passengers already rely on Transit to find their next trip and track their ride in real time. Adding the ability to buy transit fares gives riders everything they need in one app.”

###

MEDIA CONTACTS

 Daniel Monroe, Director

Buffalo Groupe

(843) 422-0682

dmonroe@buffalogroupe.com

Stephen Miller

Communications

617-440-4690 (voice or text)

media@transitapp.com

About CARTA: The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority is a public transportation system dedicated to providing affordable transit in the Charleston community through local fixed routes, on-demand paratransit service and express commuter routes. For the latest on CARTA, visit ridecarta.com, like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @RideCARTA. All customers are encouraged to plan rides and track buses with the CARTA-endorsed Transit app.

 About Transit: Transit is the app that makes life better without a car in more than 300 cities worldwide. Millions of public transit riders rely on its accurate real-time updates, intuitive step-by-step navigation, and helpful crowdsourcing features. The app gives riders powerful tools to speak up for better car-free transportation and helps transit agencies bring together fare payment, on-demand transit, bikeshare, scooters, carshare, taxis, and more. Transit is based in Montréal, Québec. Learn more at www.transitapp.com.

The new QR Code Validators go into operation starting Wednesday, July 10th.  Same mobile passes, same boarding process riders will simply scan their phone over the new validators to board the bus.  Your bus pass will look slightly different with a QR code.

New Token Machine 06272024

The Beach Reach Shuttle service will operate on the following days for the July 4th holiday weekend:

• Thursday July 4th (Sunday service schedule)
• Friday, July 5th (Saturday service schedule)
• Saturday, July 6th
• Sunday, July 7th

Expect some delays on Route 12 due to heavy traffic volumes and road closures related to the airshow happening on Saturday, 04/20/24.

Due to road closures related to the event, route 104 will be detouring on starting on Saturday 04/20/24 thru Sunday 04/21/24.  Click Route 104 Detour to view the detour details.

Route Service Day of Bridge Run – Saturday April 6, 2024

On Saturday, April 6th all routes that travel into the downtown area will be affected by road closures, detours and high volumes of traffic, expect possible delays.

• DASH routes 210 and 211 will not start until the race is completed.  DASH 213 will run on a detour.
• Routes 10, 11, 20, 30, 31, 33, 40, and 41 will all have detours.  Click the link below to view all detours that will be in effect until service returns to regular service after the roads are reopened.

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 4/06/24:

• 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.

Riders are encouraged to use the transit app and/or the Text or Call for Next Bus (843-202-4410) features for real time route information. Customer service representatives can be reached at 843-724-7420 and will be available through the chat feature located here at ridecarta.com.

Click CARTA 2024 Bridge Run route detours  to view detours that will occur the day of the bridge run – Saturday, April 6, 2024.

FREE FARE PROMOTION CELEBRATES SENIOR INDEPENDENCE MONTH

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Feb. 15, 2024) – The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), and TriCounty Link (TCL) will offer free rides to seniors ages 55 and older on Monday, Feb. 19. The free fair promotion celebrates February as Senior Independence Month. It is the first of several such days planned for 2024.

Riders are asked to present a valid photo ID when boarding.

“Access to safe, reliable, and affordable transportation is critical to providing seniors in our region the independence they deserve,” said CARTA Board Chairman Mike Seekings. “We’re excited to offer this benefit to our riders and encourage everyone eligible to take advantage of this opportunity to try the system – for free.”

CARTA and TCL will operate on a normal schedule for Presidents Day, Feb. 19. The CARTA system map is available here. Riders can view the TCL route schedule here.

ABOUT CARTA

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority is a public transportation system dedicated to providing affordable transit in the Charleston community through local fixed routes, on-demand paratransit service and express commuter routes. For the latest on CARTA, visit ridecarta.com, like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @RideCARTA. All customers are encouraged to plan rides and track buses with the CARTA-endorsed Transit app.

###

MEDIA CONTACTS

Daniel Brock, Regional Strategist
BCDCOG
(919) 820-2612
danielb@bcdcog.com 

Daniel Monroe
BGRM
(843) 422-0682
dmonroe@buffalogroupe.com