The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is the mass transit provider for Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...

 and its vicinity.

Public transportation first appeared on the streets of Chattanooga in 1875, utilizing horse-drawn trollies

Horsecar

A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...

. The two main routes followed Market Street and Ninth Avenue (now Martin Luther King

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...

 Boulevard). In 1889, the trollies were replaced with electric streetcars. With the advent of the internal combustion engine

Internal combustion engine

The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...

, bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

es began to appear more frequently. In 1941, Southern Coach Lines took over the public transit operations, and the last streetcar ran in 1946.

City control

In 1973, the City of Chattanooga purchased the assets of the former Southern Coach Lines, and formed the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority. CARTA now operates 17 bus routes, trimmed down from 30, as some routes have been consolidated or eliminated.

In addition, CARTA also operates a free downtown shuttle

Public transport

Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...

 service, utilizing electric buses, which runs between the Chattanooga Choo-Choo (the former Terminal Station Hotel) at 14th and Market Streets and the Bijou Theatre on Broad and 3rd Streets. Public parking is available at both locations. CARTA owns and operates the historic Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is an inclined plane railway located along the side of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the United States. Passengers are transported from St. Elmo's Station at the base, to Point Park at the mountain summit, which overlooks the city and the...

, which ascends from the St. Elmo neighborhood to the town of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

Lookout Mountain is a town in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,832 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Lookout Mountain is located at...

. CARTA also provides paratransit van services, called Care-A-Van.

List of routes

1. Alton Park

Chattanooga Choo-Choo, The Villages at Alton Park, Piney Woods, Wheeler Homes, Alton Park Health Center, Alton Park Recreation Center, Howard School of Academics & Technology, Eckerd, Bi-Lo

2. North Chattanooga

North Market Street, North Shore Market, Coolidge Park, Renaissance Park, Spears Avenue, Cherokee Boulevard

4. Eastgate/Hamilton Place

UT-Chattanooga

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...

, UTC Place, Client Services Building/Human Services, Tennessee Temple University

Tennessee Temple University

Tennessee Temple University is a four-year private Christian university, with its focus on liberal arts education, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Operating there, also, is Temple Baptist Seminary, the university's graduate school of Christian theology....

, Brainerd Road, Eastgate Mall

Eastgate Mall (Chattanooga)

Eastgate Mall is an enclosed, mixed-use facility in Chattanooga, TN.-History:Eastgate was developed by Independent Enterprises, a precursor of today's CBL & Associates. The open-air shopping venue was built on the site of a former drive-in theater, which was owned by Independent Enterprises .The...

, Hamilton Place Mall

Hamilton Place Mall

Hamilton Place is an enclosed, two-story shopping mall in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was the largest shopping mall in the state of Tennessee from 1987 to 1998, when its size was surpassed by West Town Mall. The original anchors were Parks-Belk, Hess's, Parisian, Loveman's, Regal Cinemas 9 and...

, Lee Highway

Lee Highway

The Lee Highway was a National Auto Trail in the United States connecting New York City and San Francisco, California via the South and Southwest. It was named after Robert E...

, Parkridge Hospital, Warner Park

Warner Park

Warner Park is a community park on the northeast side of Madison, Wisconsin near Lake Mendota. It is the annual home for the largest fireworks show in the Midwest, Rhythm and Booms....

5. North Brainerd

Eastgate Town Center, Brainerd High School, North Brainerd Community, Eastwood Manor, Foxwood Plaza

6. East Brainerd

Hamilton Place, East Brainerd Road, Gunbarrel Road, Gunbarrel Pointe, Memorial Atrium, Erlanger East, McCutcheon Road, Chattanooga State East, Health Center at Standifer Place, Rainbow Creek Apartments, U.S. Express

7. Housing Authority

Chattanooga Housing Authority located on Holtzclaw Avenue at Citico

8. Eastdale

Battery Heights, Tunnel Boulevard, Signal Centers, Greenwood Road, Foxwood Plaza

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

10. East Chattanooga

UT-Chattanooga

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...

, Dodson Avenue Health Center, Glenwood, Erlanger Hospital, Memorial Hospital, Parkwood Nursing Home, Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Harriet Ross; (1820 – 1913) was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the American Civil War. After escaping from slavery, into which she was born, she made thirteen missions to rescue more than 70 slaves...

 Development, Campbell Street, Highway 58, Washington Hills School

13. Rossville

East Lake Courts, 23rd Street, Farmer's Market, Senior Neighbors, Faith Manor

14. "Mocs Express" (free shuttle for UT-Chattanooga

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...

 students, faculty and staff.)

Route 14 only operates on weekdays during fall and spring terms, when the University is session. Passengers presenting a valid UTC identification card ("Mocs Card") ride for free on all CARTA lines, year-round.

UTC Campus, UTC Place, Engel Stadium

Engel Stadium

Engel Stadium is a stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The stadium was built in 1930 and holds 12,000 people. It was the home of the Chattanooga Lookouts until 1999 when they moved to their current stadium, AT&T Field. Tennessee Temple University has held their home games at Engel since the Lookouts...

15. St. Elmo

Broad Street, Con Agra, St. Elmo, Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

Lookout Mountain Incline Railway

The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is an inclined plane railway located along the side of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the United States. Passengers are transported from St. Elmo's Station at the base, to Point Park at the mountain summit, which overlooks the city and the...

, Bi-Lo

16. Northgate

Northgate Mall

Northgate Mall (Hixson)

Northgate Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in the Chattanooga suburb of Hixson. Opened on March 15, 1972, it was the second mall built in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was the northside competition to Eastgate Mall.A new movie theater opened in 2005...

, Hixson

Hixson, Tennessee

Hixson is an unincorporated community in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. It is a northern suburb of Chattanooga and is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area....

 Pike, Riverview, Highland Plaza, Lowe's, Kmart, Home Depot, Hobby Lobby

19. Cromwell Road

UT-Chattanooga

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a public university located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The University, often referred to as UTC or simply "Chattanooga" , is one of three universities and two other affiliated institutions in the University of Tennessee System; the others being in...

, Erlanger Hospital, Cromwell Hills, Waterford Place, Olan Mills, Main Postal Facility, Bi-Lo Warehouse, Brock Candy, CARTA, Planters, Shepherd Road, Shallowford Road, Vance Road

21. Golden Gateway

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

28. Amnicola Highway

Chattanooga State College, Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Tennessee Riverpark, Police Services Center

Fares

The regular adult fare is $1.50 per ride. Seniors (65+), persons with disabilities and students ride for $0.75. No transfers are given, but a 24-hour pass good for unlimited rides costs $4.00. A 31-day pass costs $50.00. .^{This information may be dated}