Ridership on the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority’s Hospitality on Peninsula (HOP) Shuttle surpassed 10,000 in July, the third-straight record-setting month for the pilot park-and-ride program.
“There is clear demand and need for this service, which has proven particularly valuable to the hospitality and food and beverages industries,” said CARTA board chairman Mike Seekings. “We hope that the resources necessary to continue the HOP’s momentum will be made available by the partners, both public and private, who have benefited from it, and that the program can be expanded to other parts of the city in the future.”
The park-and-ride program is the first of its kind on the peninsula and was brought to fruition via a collaborative partnership between the City of Charleston, Charleston County, the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments. Total ridership on the HOP in July was 10,015.
Service is currently scheduled for about every 15 minutes between 6 a.m. and 3 a.m., seven days per week. Visitors to downtown Charleston and all commuters are encouraged to park all day for just $5 and ride the HOP shuttle for free.
Seekings noted that the HOP will be a convenient option for College of Charleston students who live off the peninsula and drive downtown. Riders can track buses in real-time on the Transit app available on iPhone and Android.
Get all the details on The HOP: www.ridecarta.com/HOP
