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Continue the Progress, Change the CARTA Plan
Carta is Doing Well
Use of and support for public transit is increasing in
Charleston County. CARTA set a new
ridership record boarding 425,895 riders in March 2012, a year
to date increase of 15.84%over the first quarter of 2011 and 50
thousand more riders than it boarded in January 2012.Revenue for
the same period was up 8.5%. At the same time the cost for
passenger has beenlower than at any time in the past six years, a
record of $1.45 in January and $1.60 in March(probably reflecting
higher fuel prices). New arrangements for federal reimbursement
shouldsubstantially reduce accumulated debt this summer as a
arrearage is eliminated. Riders can nowuse Google Transit to plan
trips, automatically generating detailed itineraries online
throughwww.ridecarta.com, Google maps, and apps on the Ipad, Iphone
and Android devices. Busarrival times should be updating in real
time, based on GPS data transmitted from the buses bythe end of
summer. Improved bus stops are planned for several major roadways
in the area asroad improvement projects are completed. Drivers and
mechanics working for our transit system
have recently won major awards while moving more passengers,
more efficiently than at anytime in the past six years.
The Strategic Plan Lacks Vision and Confidence
The plan, developed without public input, calls for a 5% cut in
transit services. No efforts toincrease support for operations or
replacing old buses are specified. This strategic plan includesno
strategy. Plans to restore the CARTA at night service essential to
workers in our hospitalityand medical sectors are abandoned. The
long planned North Charleston transit center forCARTA, Greyhound,
Amtrak and other services is essentially put on hold. A new
Expressservice for Boeing and additional service in North
Charleston will be funded by cancelling busroutes and service
elsewhere. Its our belief that this plan is a minimal effort which
reflects a
perceived lack of public support for something better. The plan
says virtually nothing aboutimproving the riders experience or
system reliability.
Charleston County needs a better long term plan
CARTAs plan for the next five years should include
1. Maintaining the current level of service with additional
local financial support while
working with the community through people to people initiatives
to increase ridership
on underperforming routes, including a rigorous effort to
promote awareness of the new
online trip planning capability provided by Google.
2. Restoring night bus service when sales tax revenues or other
new revenues will allow it .3. Working aggressively to be sure that
safe, accessible bus stops are installed as new road
construction and improvements at the Airport are completed.
4. Modifying CARTAs existing, but underutilized service to the
beaches at the Isle of
Palms and ultimately restoring service to Folly Beach as
well.
5. Extending Google transit trip planning so that Tri County
Link rural routes are also
included as part of a single, connected route system.
http://www.ridecarta.com/
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6. Paying down debt and establishing a reserve fund as sales tax
revenue and additional fare
revenue will support it.
7. Establish Express Bus service to Boeing from Summerville with
new revenues, including
support from Dorchester County or Summerville, where most of
those passengers will
live. Charleston residents shouldnt be funding rides for
Dorchester County.
8. Replace aging elements of the CARTA vehicle fleet with
support from County and
Municipal governments over a period of several years.
9. Lobbying Federal and State representatives, as well as
private investors, to fund building
the North Charleston transit center as a regional economic
driver which will allow
reorganizing the route system to a more efficient structure with
a quick shuttle link to the
airport and downtown.
How you can help.
We expect the decision to cut service to be made over the summer
when the abilty to organizepublic opposition is low, so the time to
act is during May.
1. Sign our petition online or in person to oppose further CARTA
service cuts.
2. Contact your federal, state, county and municipal
representatives and ask them
to committee to the plan for improved public transit. Check our
calendar on the
Hungryneck Straphangers website for the dates and locations of
their meetings. Call,
write or email your representatives.
3. Plan to attend the May CARTA Board meeting to show your
support for the plan.
4. Talk to your neighbors and other riders about the importance
of a five year plan to
improve transit with a target of reaching an annual ridership of
7.5 million by 2018.
More information, events, updates see
The Hungreyneck Straphangers is a community transit advocacy
group focused on service Eastof the Cooper. We are fully
independent of CARTA and Tri County Link. For information onthe
effort see
www.eastccrider.com or call William Hamilton (843) 870-5299
http://www.eastccrider.com/
