 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2013) |
 Coast Transit Authority buses at the transit center in Gulfport, Mississippi | |
| Founded | 1974 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 333 DeBuys Road |
| Locale | Gulfport, Mississippi |
| Service area | Jackson County, Mississippi Harrison County, Mississippi Hancock County, Mississippi |
| Service type | bus service, paratransit |
| Routes | 10 |
| Website | [1] |
The Coast Transit Authority is the primary provider of mass transportation in the Gulfport–Biloxi metropolitan area. Service was founded in 1974, after the Mississippi State Legislature passed a bill authorizing the creation of public transit for the region; the area's previous private bus operator, Municipal Transit Lines, had been devastated by Hurricane Camille, and the area was left with no public transportation for a 3-year period after the disaster. Originally known as the Mississippi Coast Transit Authority, the agency changed its name to Coast Area Transit in 1985, before arriving on its current moniker in 1992.
The agency operates nine regular routes over a three county area. Five park & ride lots are operated by the bureau to increase commuter ridership. The most travelled of these routes, The Beachcomber, uses replica trolleys instead of standard buses. In addition, the Casino Hopper shuttle connects gambling facilities on the Biloxi waterfront.