Clayton County C-Tran
Encyclopedia
The Clayton County C-TRAN was a bus
transportation system in Clayton County, Georgia
that ran from 2001 to 2010. C-Tran was run by the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority
(GRTA) to manage the local bus system, linking bus routes to MARTA
, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
, and major commercial and academic centers in the county. C-Tran's bus fleet was powered by compressed natural gas
. Due to budget shortfalls, C-Tran ended service on March 31, 2010.
Buses in C-Tran livery are expected to be repainted into mainline MARTA livery; before the shutdown, MARTA and Xpress GA had been granted a controlling interest in the fleet.
Your South Side Transportation, a privately-owned transportation service, began servicing 503 and 504 routes, the two busiest lines on C-TRAN, on April 1, 2010. The company was granted an emergency permit to run so people who normally ride the bus could have a bridge to get to work without feeling the stress of looking for transportation. The company charges$3.00 per trip. Your South Side Transportation currently operates two passenger vans.
On August 2, 2010 a new privately run service called Quick Transit started service on former C-Tran routes. Quick Transit covers former C-Tran Routes 501, 502, 503 and 504. Quick Transit fares are $2.00 higher than former C-Tran fares. One-way fare is $3.50, with no free transfers to MARTA. The operators of Quick Transit have implemented service along the former C-Tran routes 501 and 502. However as of July 1, 2011 Quick Transit has also ceased operations citing low ridership and high gas prices.
Beginning in 2004, C-TRAN buses were housed and fueled at a facility located on Southlake Parkway in Jonesboro. This site was secured by First Transit when the company took over the operation in June 2004. MARTA subsequently used this same facility for its second iteration of C-TRAN management during the period of 2007 - 2010.
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...
transportation system in Clayton County, Georgia
Clayton County, Georgia
Clayton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 236,517. The 2008 Census estimate placed the population at 273,718. The county seat is Jonesboro...
that ran from 2001 to 2010. C-Tran was run by the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority
Georgia Regional Transportation Authority
The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority or GRTA is a government agency in the U.S. state of Georgia...
(GRTA) to manage the local bus system, linking bus routes to MARTA
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority or MARTA is the principal rapid-transit system in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the ninth-largest in the United States. Formed in 1971 as strictly a bus system, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a rapid transit system consisting...
, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
, and major commercial and academic centers in the county. C-Tran's bus fleet was powered by compressed natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
. Due to budget shortfalls, C-Tran ended service on March 31, 2010.
History
A bus service system was first proposed by the Clayton County Board of Commissioners and approved by the voters of the county in July 2000. On February 14, 2001, the Board of Commissioners entered into a contract for the GRTA to run the bus service. In April 2001, the GRTA Board of Directors agreed to purchase the first 12 buses. Two initial routes began on October 1, 2001, with one additional route becoming operational in February 2003.- July 2001: GRTA signed contract with MARTA to provide operating personnel and facilities for the Clayton County bus system.
- August 2001: Resolution 2001-79 passed by Clayton County Commissioners, naming the new Clayton County Transportation System the "C-TRAN" system (Clayton Transit).
- October 2001: Route 501 and Route 503 became operational under MARTA management.
- February 2003: Route 504 became operational.
- June 2004: First Transit began operation of C-Tran service after a competitive RFP bidding process managed by GRTA.
- October 2, 2007: MARTA began operating Clayton County’s C-TRAN bus and paratransit service (for the second time) this week as part of a 3-year joint agreement between the agencies to improve transit service in the region. Under the agreement, MARTA will operate and maintain C-TRAN’s fleet of twenty-four buses and six paratransit vehicles and will be fully reimbursed by the County for all expenses.
- August 2008: C-tran added the Breeze system to all of its buses following CCT and MARTA additions
- March 2010: C-Tran ended all bus services
Termination of service
On October 13, 2009, the board voted 4-1 to terminate its contract with MARTA, which runs C-Tran. The system had cost about $10 million per year to operate while collecting $2.5 million in farebox revenue. A previous bill was to go before the Legislature would have allocated some of MARTA's sales tax revenue to Clayton County and would have restored C-TRAN service. C-Tran ended service on March 31, 2010. On November 2, 2010 a non-binding referendum voted in favor of joining MARTA, 70-30. However, the Clayton County Board Members must vote and approve of the MARTA System in Clayton County, before service is provided.Buses in C-Tran livery are expected to be repainted into mainline MARTA livery; before the shutdown, MARTA and Xpress GA had been granted a controlling interest in the fleet.
Your South Side Transportation, a privately-owned transportation service, began servicing 503 and 504 routes, the two busiest lines on C-TRAN, on April 1, 2010. The company was granted an emergency permit to run so people who normally ride the bus could have a bridge to get to work without feeling the stress of looking for transportation. The company charges$3.00 per trip. Your South Side Transportation currently operates two passenger vans.
On August 2, 2010 a new privately run service called Quick Transit started service on former C-Tran routes. Quick Transit covers former C-Tran Routes 501, 502, 503 and 504. Quick Transit fares are $2.00 higher than former C-Tran fares. One-way fare is $3.50, with no free transfers to MARTA. The operators of Quick Transit have implemented service along the former C-Tran routes 501 and 502. However as of July 1, 2011 Quick Transit has also ceased operations citing low ridership and high gas prices.
Route Addendum
The following routes are part of GRTA XPRESS.- 440 Tara Boulevard Express
- 441 Jonesboro Express
- 442 Riverdale Express
Major areas served
- JonesboroJonesboro, GeorgiaJonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County....
- MorrowMorrow, GeorgiaMorrow is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,882 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Clayton State University.-Geography:Morrow is located at ....
- Forest ParkForest Park, GeorgiaForest Park is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. It is located approximately nine miles south of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Lake CityLake City, GeorgiaLake City is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,886 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lake City is located at ....
- RiverdaleRiverdale, GeorgiaRiverdale is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 12,478 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Riverdale is located at .-Demographics:...
- Activity centers such as:
- Southlake Mall (Morrow, GA)Southlake Mall (Atlanta)Southlake Mall is a shopping mall that is located in Morrow, Georgia, in Metropolitan Atlanta and south from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The mall is in Clayton County and its trade area includes Henry County, one of the fastest-growing areas in Georgia...
- Clayton State UniversityClayton State UniversityClayton State University is a public university in Morrow, Georgia, with 6,785 students. Clayton State University is a part of the University System of Georgia....
- Southern Regional Medical Center
- Fort Gillem
- Clayton County Justice Center
- Southlake Mall (Morrow, GA)
Budget
The initial three-year estimated budget, including startup capital and operating costs, totals $30.7 million with 80% of the funding coming from Federal sources, 10% from the state, and the other 10% from non-property Clayton County tax funds.Garage
All C-TRAN buses were housed and fueled at MARTA's Laredo Garage under MARTA's first management contract, 2001 - 2004.Beginning in 2004, C-TRAN buses were housed and fueled at a facility located on Southlake Parkway in Jonesboro. This site was secured by First Transit when the company took over the operation in June 2004. MARTA subsequently used this same facility for its second iteration of C-TRAN management during the period of 2007 - 2010.