Image by TheDigitel

During the monthly Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority Board Meeting, staff announced record ridership numbers, not only month over month, but year over year.

With nearly 5 million passengers in 2012, the transportation system saw a 9.07% annual increase. Regularly CARTA carries over 15,000 passengers per weekday, with the free DASH system carrying over 1.2 million passengers for the year.

That's a healthy growth, from 2008 to 2009, ridership increased 0.23% and from 2009 to 2010, ridership increased 3.23%. 

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority is a public transportation system dedicated to providing affordable transit to the Charleston community through four services – fixed routes, Tel-A-Ride, flex/demand service and express routes. CARTA services Charleston and the surrounding areas including West Ashley, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Summerville.