Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority

Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority
A NASH bus at an event in North Charleston
Founded1997
Headquarters3664 Leeds Avenue
North Charleston, SC 29405
Service areaCharleston County
Dorchester County
Service typebus service, dial-a-bus, express bus service
Routes4 express routes
17 fixed routes
4 free shuttle routes
HubsCharleston Visitors Center
North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center
Daily ridership7,900 (weekdays, Q2 2024)[1]
Annual ridership2,191,500 (2023)[2]
Fuel typediesel, electric
OperatorTransdev
Websiteridecarta.com

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) provides area residents and visitors public transportation within parts of Charleston and Dorchester counties in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina, including the cities of Charleston, North Charleston and the surrounding communities of Mount Pleasant, Summerville, James Island, Sullivan's Island, and the Isle of Palms. CARTA presently contracts with Transdev for staffing and managing the bus drivers in addition to maintaining and scheduling the buses. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,191,500, or about 7,900 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

CARTA began service in 1997 and operates seven days a week on each day of the year. In addition to its regular fixed routes, CARTA offers express commuter service on weekdays, a free area shuttle service in downtown Charleston, and Tel-A-Ride services for eligible residents.

  1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.