CARTA shows the community how CARTA Counts

Today, The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) officially kicked off the CARTA Counts campaign. 

CARTA Counts is a public awareness campaign created to educate the Charleston area on the importance and impact public transportation has on the community.  In honor of the official announcement, Mayor Billy Swails, Mount Pleasant Town Council Members, and Planning Commission Members rode the Mount Pleasant routes to Towne Centre with CARTA staff, to visit the CARTA Counts car.

“Public transportation plays a big role in the economic growth of our area,” said CARTA Board Chairman Elliott Summey. “It is important that the community understand this and support CARTA in order for transportation to grow and expand, and ultimately better serve the community.”

Getting the community involved, the CARTA Counts car will be traveling around Charleston County to demonstrate the impact public transportation has on the area.  The car is filled with small toy cars - the exact number of actual cars that CARTA takes off the road each day.  Area residents, who pass by the car, can venture a guess at the amount of cars inside on CARTA’s Facebook wall for a chance to win CARTA swag, gifts cards and CARTA passes. The car will travel to several destinations throughout the area that CARTA currently services.  Guesses should include the location where the car was spotted, since each location will have a separate winner.

“CARTA Counts will enable us to demonstrate all of the positive impacts of CARTA,” said CARTA Executive Director Christine Wilkinson. “And while the CARTA Counts car is a fun way to see this sheer volume of cars taken off the road, there are so many other ways CARTA benefits the community.  This campaign will help us educate them on these impressive statistics and see how CARTA Counts.”

Over the next few months, CARTA will also enable residents to try public transportation – for FREE!  CARTA Counts Free Ride Cards will be available at CARTA, the Charleston Visitor’s Center and Charleston area Piggly Wiggly stores.  Pick up a card and bring it by CARTA or the Visitor’s Center for a free three-day pass, and see how CARTA Counts.

“CARTA remains an important partner for our community and for Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company,” says Christopher Ibsen, Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company Director of Corporate Affairs. “We have loyal customers and hardworking employees who depend on CARTA for their transit needs every day, and we hope by spreading the word about the CARTA Counts campaign we will inspire even more individuals to give CARTA a try.”

How CARTA Counts:

  • More than 14,000 passengers ride CARTA every day
  • CARTA reduces emissions by more than 37 million metric tons each year
  • In the tri-county region, 22,694 student passengers ride CARTA every month
  • 22,600 disabled passengers depend on CARTA transportation each month

To learn more about CARTA Counts, visit RideCARTA.com/CARTACounts.  Learn more about CARTA bus passes and routes at RideCARTA.com.

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