Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority

What Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority does

Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is the designated public transit authority for the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee, established in 1973 and operating a fleet of 96 vehicles across fixed-route bus service, free all-electric downtown shuttles, ADA paratransit (Care-A-Van), on-demand microtransit (CARTA GO, powered by Via), and the historic Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. In 2022 the system delivered approximately 1.6 million trips and is supported by 215 staff, eight park-and-ride locations, two downtown parking garages (Shuttle Park North and South), and on-street parking meters managed through the wholly owned Chattanooga Parking Authority. Headquartered at 1617 Wilcox Blvd., Chattanooga, CARTA serves a broad rider base spanning general commuters, elderly and disabled riders, K-12 students, veterans, tourists, and workforce commuters to major employers including VW, Amazon, UTC, and Erlanger.

CARTA's product and technology stack layers consumer-facing digital tools on top of the physical transit network. Real-time vehicle visibility is delivered through the web and mobile Bus Tracker; mobile ticketing (one-way, 24-hour, 7-day, and 31-day passes) runs on the Token Transit app with Cash App support and a Send-A-Pass feature launched in December 2024. Trip planning is exposed through a Google Transit integration and, since May 2025, Citymapper, which adds multimodal walking/biking options, mobile payment via Token Transit, and CO2/calorie tracking. A subscription SMS text-alert system broadcasts service disruptions, and bilingual ADA and Title VI compliance materials are published in English and Spanish. Subsidiary service lines include CARTA GO microtransit, Care-A-Van ADA paratransit (over 50,000 trips annually), four free electric shuttles (Downtown Route 33, North Shore Route 2, Northshore Express Route 34, St. Elmo/Incline Route 15), the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway (operating since 1895), and the Chattanooga Parking Authority.

As a Tennessee state-created regional authority, CARTA is funded through a blend of operational revenue and government grants, with the agency disclosing that more than 40% of revenue comes from operations (down from 47% pre-COVID) and the remainder from federal and state sources. Operational streams include passenger fares ($1.50 fixed route, $2 CARTA GO, $3-$3.50 Care-A-Van with a $0.25 Token Transit discount effective July 2025), parking fees, vehicle and digital advertising, and the Incline Railway's tourist revenue. Capital and operating subsidies have been secured via FTA Low Emission Grants, $1.46M in TDOT investment, $1.2M in CMAQ funding, $630K in FTA transit-oriented development planning, and a Lyndhurst Foundation grant for a "Search Party" collaboration with Understory. Recent strategic moves include CEO Charles Frazier's January 2024 appointment, the Fleet-route/Technology modernization program, the June 2024 Read & Ride K-12 partnership with the Chattanooga Public Library (made permanent after 10,000+ trips), and a three-year research project with Vanderbilt, Penn State, Cornell, and the U.S. Department of Energy to apply AI and community engagement to mid-sized-city transit planning.

Name

Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority

Legal name

Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority

Website

https://gocarta.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is the public transit authority for Chattanooga and Hamilton County, Tennessee, operating fixed bus routes, free electric shuttles, paratransit, microtransit, and the historic Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transit Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Special Needs Transportation (485991), Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (48599)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Transportation, Parking & Mobility Administration (BPAIACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Demand Shared Shuttle / Vanpool (Dynamic Routing, Door-to-Door) (TLAFAJAB), Rural & Community Demand-Responsive Transit (THAIAHAD), Park-and-Ride Facilities & Transit Parking (THAIALAI)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Fixed route bus
• Paratransit transportation
• Microtransit service
• Transit authority

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fares: Revenue generated from fixed route fares ($1.50/trip), CARTA GO ($2/trip), and Care-A-Van paratransit services ($3-$3.50/trip). More than 40% of CARTA's revenue is generated from operations.
2. Parking Operations: CARTA manages the Chattanooga Parking Authority, including on-street meters and parking garages (Shuttle Park North, Shuttle Park South), which helps fund the downtown shuttle operation
3. Advertising: Advertising opportunities available on CARTA properties including vehicles, stops, and digital platforms
4. Government Subsidies and Grants: Federal and state funding including FTA grants, TDOT investments, and other government transportation funding
5. Incline Railway Operations: Revenue from operating the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, a major tourist attraction celebrating 130 years of operation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CARTA operates the public transit system for Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and surrounding areas in Tennessee. Its core offering is fixed-route bus service supplemented by free all-electric downtown shuttles, ADA paratransit (Care-A-Van), on-demand microtransit (CARTA GO), the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway tourist attraction, and downtown parking operations managed through the Chattanooga Parking Authority.

Product overview

CARTA (Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority) operates as a comprehensive public transit system serving Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and surrounding areas. The system architecture consists of a core fixed-route bus network supplemented by multiple specialized services. Fixed Routes form the backbone of the system with 96 transit vehicles providing over 1.6 million annual trips. The free all-electric shuttle system (Downtown Shuttle Route 33, North Shore Shuttle Route 2, Northshore Express Shuttle Route 34, and St. Elmo/Incline Shuttle Route 15) provides zero-fare service connecting major downtown attractions, residential areas, and tourist destinations. CARTA GO offers on-demand microtransit service via mobile app, while Care-A-Van provides paratransit door-to-door service for elderly and disabled riders. Additional services include the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway (the nation's steepest), downtown parking management through the Chattanooga Parking Authority, Bus Tracker real-time tracking, Trip Planner powered by Google Transit, and Text Alerts for service notifications. Supporting programs include Read & Ride (free passes for K-12 students via library partnership), Token Transit mobile ticketing, and Park & Ride facilities. The system serves as a pioneer in transit innovation with expanding electric fleet operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Care-A-Van (CAV): Door-to-door paratransit service providing over 50,000 trips per year for elderly and disabled citizens.
• Lookout Mountain Incline Railway
• CARTA GO
• Downtown Shuttle
• Chattanooga Parking Authority

Products and services

• Fixed Route Bus Service Traditional bus service operating on set routes and schedules throughout Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and surrounding areas. Fleet of 96 transit vehicles provides over 1.6 million annual trips at $1.50 per one-way fare.
• Downtown Shuttle (Route 33) FREE all-electric shuttle operating daily from the Choo Choo to the Tennessee Aquarium to the North Shore and St. Elmo communities, excluding major holidays.
• North Shore Shuttle (Route 2) FREE shuttle serving North Market Street, North Shore Market, Coolidge Park, Shuttle Park North, and North Shore areas.
• Northshore Express Shuttle (Route 34) FREE express shuttle operating Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., picking up every 15 minutes from Shuttle Park North and Northshore.
• St. Elmo/Incline Shuttle (Route 15) Shuttle service connecting St. Elmo Ave., Broad Street, and the Incline Railway, operating Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 10:05 pm.
• CARTA GO Microtransit On-demand microtransit service allowing riders to schedule rides and pay directly through a mobile app at $2 per trip, complementing fixed-route service.
• Care-A-Van Paratransit ADA-compliant door-to-door paratransit service for elderly and disabled citizens, providing over 50,000 trips per year to medical appointments, dialysis, shopping, and other destinations at $3-$3.50 per trip.
• Lookout Mountain Incline Railway The nation's steepest incline railway, a major tourist attraction operating for over 130 years on Lookout Mountain and known as 'America's most amazing mile.'
• Downtown Parking Operations CARTA manages the Chattanooga Parking Authority, including Shuttle Park North (211 Broad Street) and Shuttle Park South (1362 Market Street) garages with over 2,400 spaces, plus on-street meters and first-hour-free promotion.
• North Brainerd Circulator (Route 35) FREE summer pilot circulator loop serving North Brainerd neighborhoods, operating Monday-Friday 10 AM to 6 PM every 30 minutes through Brainerd Road, North Moore Road, Wilcox Blvd, and Tunnel Blvd.
• Route 25 Enterprise South/Amnicola Highway Consolidated route combining former Routes 3 and 28, serving Enterprise South industrial area, Amnicola Highway, Bonny Oaks Drive, Chattanooga State Community College, Tennessee Riverpark, and Chattanooga Area Food Bank.
• Read & Ride Program Partnership program with Chattanooga Public Library providing free bus passes to K-12 students who participate in library reading challenges; K-5 students ride free with guardian and 6-12 grade students ride independently.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.6 million trips taken in 2022, with 90,000-trip increase from previous year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• UnderstoryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026CARTA and Understory were awarded a Lyndhurst Foundation grant for the 'Search Party' initiative, a collaborative project to enhance transit services.
• Vanderbilt UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Collaboration on a three-year research project to improve Chattanooga's transportation system. Project involves transit planning, artificial intelligence, and community engagement research.
• Pennsylvania State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Collaboration on a three-year research project to improve Chattanooga's transportation system. Project involves transit planning, artificial intelligence, and community engagement research.
• Cornell UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Collaboration on a three-year research project to improve Chattanooga's transportation system. Project involves transit planning, artificial intelligence, and community engagement research.
• Spark the FirmminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Collaboration on a three-year research project to improve Chattanooga's transportation system. Project involves transit planning, artificial intelligence, and community engagement research, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy.
• CitymappercoreTechnology or Integration · 14 May 2025CARTA partnered with Citymapper to provide a free all-in-one trip-planning app integrating walking, biking, bus share, CARTA bus, and CARTA GO services. The app supports mobile payments through Token Transit, allows bulk pass purchases, and tracks CO2 savings and calories burned.
• Token TransitcoreTechnology or Integration · 16 December 2024CARTA launched mobile ticketing through Token Transit, offering riders a convenient way to purchase bus passes on smartphones. Starting December 16, 2024, riders can download the Token Transit app to purchase and activate passes, use Cash App or other digital payments, and share passes with others via Send-A-Pass feature.
• Chattanooga Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Joint Read & Ride program provides free bus passes to K-12 students who participate in the library's reading challenges. The program was extended permanently in December 2024 after achieving over 10,000 trips. K-5 students with a red sticker ride free with a guardian; 6th-12th graders with a green sticker ride independently.
• Google TransitcoreTechnology or IntegrationCARTA partnered with Google Transit, a public transit trip planning feature of Google Maps, to help riders plan travel from their departing location to their arrival destination. The trip planner provides three options with travel time and number of transfers, supports arrival/departure time planning, walking directions, and street views.
• Chattanooga Public Library (Family Passes)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership allowing library cardholders to check out Family Passes for the Incline Railway and other participating attractions. Passes include up to 6 roundtrip boarding tickets and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Downtown Library.
• Via (CARTA GO)coreTechnology or IntegrationCARTA GO on-demand microtransit service powered by Via's technology platform, allowing riders to schedule rides and pay directly through the CARTA GO app.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Memphis Area Transit Authority: Memphis Area Transit Authority operates bus, trolley and paratransit services across Memphis. It is comparable to CARTA as a Tennessee urban transit authority serving public-mobility, accessibility and employer-commute needs.
• Lextran: Lextran provides public bus and paratransit services in Lexington, Kentucky. It is comparable to CARTA as a mid-sized city transit agency with fixed routes, accessibility services and public-sector governance.
• Greenlink Transit: Greenlink Transit provides fixed-route bus and paratransit service for Greenville, South Carolina. It is comparable to CARTA as a smaller Southeastern urban transit system focused on local mobility, accessibility and commuter service.
• Rock Region METRO: Rock Region METRO serves the Little Rock, Arkansas region with bus, streetcar and paratransit services. It is comparable to CARTA as a mid-sized regional transit authority in a similar Southeastern/South Central market, and CARTA's CEO previously led Rock Region METRO.
• The COMET: The COMET, operated by the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority, provides bus, paratransit and regional mobility services in the Columbia, South Carolina area. It is comparable as a regional public transit authority serving commuters, students and special-needs riders in a mid-sized Southeastern market.
• Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority: Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority, branded MAX Transit, operates bus and paratransit services in the Birmingham region. It is comparable as a public transit authority serving a mid-sized Southeastern metropolitan area with similar commuter and accessibility use cases.
• WeGo Public Transit: WeGo Public Transit provides bus and regional public transit services for Nashville and Middle Tennessee. It is comparable as a Tennessee public transit authority with fixed-route service, paratransit and commuter-focused mobility offerings, albeit at larger scale.
• Knoxville Area Transit: Knoxville Area Transit operates fixed-route bus and paratransit services in another mid-sized Tennessee city. It is comparable to CARTA as a municipal transit operator serving local commuters, students, healthcare access and mobility needs.

Broad incumbents

• Charlotte Area Transit System: Charlotte Area Transit System operates bus, light rail, streetcar and paratransit services in the Charlotte region. It is comparable as a larger Southeastern public transit operator with overlapping urban mobility, accessibility and employer-commute functions.
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority: Jacksonville Transportation Authority operates a larger multimodal transit system including bus, paratransit, automated people mover and mobility innovation initiatives. It is comparable as a public transit authority with overlapping bus, accessibility and technology-enabled transit operations, but at broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GoCARTA
• Facebookfacebook.com/GOCARTA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chattanooga-area-regional-transportation-authority

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority