CARTA will begin operations at noon on Jan. 5. That means buses will be at their scheduled locations at 12 p.m. There will be no morning Express service or any Tel-A-Ride appointments. Please be advised: delays and cancellations of service are possible as conditions dictate.
Rural bus service provider TriCounty Link will not run on Friday, Jan. 5.
Any further updates will be available via media updates and CARTA and TriCounty Link social media channels.
Due to ongoing hazardous road conditions, CARTA will not operate any service on Thursday, Jan. 4. Authority officials will monitor the situation and provide updates here regarding service levels for Friday, Jan. 5
Due to deteriorating weather and roadway conditions, CARTA has suspended operations effective immediately and will resume service when the system can operate safely. Updates will be available via media updates and CARTA social media channels.
Thank you all for your patience with our North Charleston Park and Ride. We apologize for all the changes.
Starting Monday, November 6, 2017 all CARTA riders please return to parking in the front parking lot near Velocity. The parking lot paving appears to have been completed for now, so we should have a little more flexibility with parking spaces, but please try to stay within the area shown below on the map.
Buses will resume picking up at the front parking lot only on Monday 11/06/17.
A couple of quick reminders:
Permanent Park and Ride Update: We are still waiting on the sale of the land we are purchasing located on the other side of Texas Roadhouse to be finalized. At this time we do not have any additional updates or estimates when it will be completed. Staff will provide updates on site at the parking lot and through email as we receive them. Again thank you for your patience and understanding. Please feel free to call or email us with any questions or concerns.
Accurate bus tracking, easy trip-planning and more
The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) today announced its partnership with Transit, the premier public transportation mobile app.
Riders will now be able to navigate the Charleston area with accurate real-time predictions, simple trip planning, step-by-step navigation, service disruption notifications, and departure and stop reminders – and it’s all presented in a clear, bold interface.
“This app is a key tool in the rider experience and is the first of several digital steps we’ll be taking this fall to make CARTA more appealing,” said CARTA Board of Directors Chairman Mike Seekings. “Better technology is helping us lay the foundation for long-term, successful public transportation in the Lowcountry.”
Transit is available for free download in the Google Play and the App Store. Read Transit 101 for tips and tricks on how to use the app.
For riders without smart phones or Internet service, CARTA also introduced new SMS texting and phone service. Customers can call or text (843) 202-4410 and provide the stop number of their choice, which can be found on signs at bus stops. An automated system will then relay the next two real-time arrivals for each route servicing the selected stop.
“We’re sensitive to the fact that not everyone has a smart phone and we want to provide as many options as possible for all of our riders,” Seekings said.
In the coming weeks, CARTA will also roll out a new website and an online payment system that will be connected to on-board fare boxes. The transit system, meanwhile, continues to collect data from recently installed Automatic Passenger Counters that it plans to use in the deployment of future service. New shelters and buses are planned in the months ahead, as well.
CARTA riders can now call or text an automated number to find out when their bus will arrive.
Simply call or text (843) 202-4410 and provide the bus stop number of choice. (Each stop is assigned a number which is posted bus stop signs or can be found online here.)
Callers will be given the next two arrivals for each route servicing the stop, while texters will receive a response text with the same information.
104 Eastbound
104 Westbound
Starting on April 24, 2017 several routes will be impacted by road closures near Cannon and President. Expect detours on routes 30, 31,203, 204 and 213. To view full turn by turn detour directions, please click on the appropriate route listed to the right. These detours will continue until further notice. Please call 843-724-7420 if you have any questions. View route detours below.
Feed the Need, Belmond Charleston Place, East Bay Company, Blackbaud and more involved in effort keep residents connected to groceries via CARTA
Mickey Bakst and Paul Stracey of Belmond Charleston Place have officially presented a $46,000 check to the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority that will fund an additional six months of free service on King Street Route 20.
The contribution is part of an effort to assist residents in a part of the city heavily affected by the closure of Bi-Lo last fall. CARTA has provided free service on the route since October and has seen a 50% increase in ridership through January 2017.
Donors to date include:
However, Bakst and Co. don’t want to stop at the six months they’ll be providing. They’re also challenging others in the Charleston business community to get involved and fund an entire year of service on Route 20.
For others looking to get involved, checks should be made to Meet the Needs Charleston – a 501 (c)(3) that will transfer the funds to CARTA. The address is 275 Beech Hill Lane, Mount Pleasant 29464.
Download “Transit” and travel like a true Charlestonian.
Bus Route: See vehicle locations in real time, find nearby stops, and receive stop announcements.
Service Alerts: Keep on top of schedule changes, stop relocations and other unexpected surprises.
Favorites: Always take the same bus? Move it to the top of the list by adding it to your favorites.
Timetables: View the full schedule for a route and set alarms to remind you to leave.
Countdowns: Get real-time predictions based on data from the transit agency.
“Go”: Get step-by-step transit directions and notifications about when to leave for your trip and when to get off the bus.
Plan a trip!: Compare trips side by side with your preferred transport modes selected.
