Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority

Public transportation first appeared on the streets of Chattanooga on September 4, 1875, utilizing horse-drawn trollies. The two main routes followed Market Street and East Ninth Street (now Martin Luther King Boulevard). In 1889, the trolleys were replaced with electric streetcars. With the advent of the internal combustion engine, buses began to appear more frequently. In 1941, Southern Coach Lines took over the public transit operations, and the last streetcar ran in 1946.

File:CARTA Chattanooga Choo Choo shuttle.jpg

In 1973, the City of Chattanooga purchased the assets of the former Southern Coach Lines and formed the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority. Since 1992, CARTA has operated a free downtown shuttle bus service, utilizing electric buses, which runs between the Chattanooga Choo-Choo (the former Terminal Station) and the Tennessee Aquarium.

CARTA operates 15 bus routes, including three classified as shuttles.

{{As of|2025|04|10|df=US}}{{cite web|title=Routes|url=https://gocarta.org/#routes|website=CARTA|publisher=Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority|accessdate=17 November 2015}}

;1. Alton Park

:Chattanooga Choo-Choo, The Villages at Alton Park, Piney Woods, Wheeler Homes, Erlanger Community Health Center (Southside), Alton Park Recreation Center, Howard School of Academics & Technology, and Food City.

;2. North Shore Shuttle

:North Market Street, North Shore Market, Coolidge Park, Renaissance Park, Spears Avenue, Cherokee Boulevard, CADAS, Johnson Mental Health Center, North Chattanooga Recreation Center

;3. Enterprise South

:Hamilton County Dept. of Education, Amazon Fulfillment Center, Volkswagen Group of America

;4. Eastgate/Hamilton Place

:UT-Chattanooga, UTC Place, Client Services Building/Human Services, Tennessee Temple University, Brainerd Road, Eastgate Town Center, Hamilton Place Mall, Walmart, Lee Highway, Parkridge Hospital, Warner Park

;9. East Lake

:Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Main Street, Dodds Avenue, Goodwill Industries, East Side Community Center, East Lake Courts, East Lake Academy of Fine Arts

;10A. East Chattanooga-Avondale

:UT-Chattanooga, Avondale, Erlanger Community Health Center (Dodson Ave.), Erlanger Medical Center, Hamilton County Health Department, Hardy Elementary School, Warner Park

;10C. East Chattanooga-Campbell St.

:UT-Chattanooga, Erlanger Medical Center, Hamilton County Health Department, Campbell Street, Highway 58, Warner Park, Erlanger Community Health Center (Dodson Ave.)

;10G. East Chattanooga-Glenwood

:UT-Chattanooga, Glenwood, Erlanger Medical Center, Hamilton County Health Department, Memorial Hospital, Parkwood Nursing Home, Parkridge Medical Center, Warner Park

;13. Rossville

:East Lake Courts, 23rd Street, Chattanooga Community Kitchen, Senior Neighbors, Whiteside Faith Manor

;14. Mocs Express (free shuttle for UT-Chattanooga students, faculty and staff.)

:UTC Campus, UTC Place, Engel Stadium, Downtown Chattanooga

;15. St. Elmo/Incline Shuttle

:St. Elmo Ave and Broad Street

;16. Northgate

:Northgate Mall, Hixson Pike, Riverview, Highland Plaza, Lowe's, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby, Stockdale's

;21. Golden Gateway

:Boynton Terrace, College Hill Courts, Chattanooga Convention Center, Jaycee Towers Apartments, Overlook Apartments, Finley Stadium

;28. Amnicola Highway

:Chattanooga State Community College, Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Police Services Center

;33. Downtown Shuttle

:Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga Public Library, Chattanooga Choo-Choo

{{Main|Lookout Mountain Incline Railway}}

File:Inclinerailway.jpg

CARTA owns and operates the historic Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, which ascends from the St. Elmo neighborhood to the town of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee.

CARTA GO is an on-demand ride service connecting the neighborhoods of Cromwell, East Brainerd, Eastdale, and North Brainerd to the route 4 bus. The service uses software by Via Transportation for booking rides and costs the same as a fixed route bus.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-15 |title=New CARTA On Demand Ride Service Bringing Headaches, But Agency Aims To Work Out Kinks |url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2022/9/15/455876/New-CARTA-On-Demand-Ride-Service.aspx |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Chattanoogan |language=en}}

{{As of|2025|04|17|df=yes}}, base fare for fixed route buses is $1.50. Senior citizens, persons with disabilities, Medicare users, and students get discounted fares with a CARTA ID. Veterans and children under 6 ride for free. CARTA also offers 24-hour, 7-day, and 31-day passes. The CARTA Care-A-Van costs $2.50 for a one-way trip.{{cite web|title=Fares|url=https://www.gocarta.org/fares/|website=CARTA|publisher=Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority|accessdate=28 April 2024}}

In December 2024, CARTA started accepting fare payment from smartphones using the Token Transit app.{{Cite news |last=Schwartz |first=Andrew |date=December 12, 2024 |title=Chattanooga public transit’s new mobile pay system set to launch Monday |url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/dec/12/chattanooga-public-transits-new-mobile-pay-system/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223195011/https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/dec/12/chattanooga-public-transits-new-mobile-pay-system/ |archive-date=December 23, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2025 |work=Chattanooga Times Free Press}}

• List of bus transit systems in the United States

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Category:Bus transportation in Tennessee

Category:Transportation in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Category:1973 establishments in Tennessee

Category:Government agencies established in 1973

Category:Organizations based in Chattanooga, Tennessee

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