The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) will resume regular service east of the Cooper River on Monday, June 4. Additional weekday service, funded by SCDOT, had been provided during the Wando Bridge closure.
Further details can be found at: ridecarta.com/maps-schedules
CARTA helps Seniors maintain mobility and independence. Seniors (55+) ride for free on all CARTA routes this Saturday, May 26, 2018. Click CARTA Senior Days to view all Senior free ride days.
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 ridecarta.com/wandobridgeupdates.
Watch the May 2018 CARTA Board of Directors of meeting live on the Charleston County Ustream channel.
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
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.
If you have additional questions, please call customer service at 843-724-7420 and choose option 1.
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.
Watch the April 2018 CARTA Board of Directors of meeting live on the Charleston County Ustream channel.
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:
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.
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