Chattanooga area K-12 students will be eligible to ride local public transit buses for free after CARTA’s board voted Thursday to permanently approve a pilot program launched earlier this year.
The Chattanooga Area Regional Transit Authority established the “Read and Ride” program, a partnership with the Chattanooga Public Library, as part of a “very intentional effort to increase visibility and ridership,” CARTA CEO Charles Frazier said by phone Thursday.
Under the program, students ages 6-11 require an adult chaperone, who can also ride free with them. Older students, ages 12-18, can ride on their own on a fixed bus line within the CARTA service network.
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To participate in the program, students can register online and pick up a special card at any Chattanooga Public Library branch. The card indicates their age bracket, and riders show it to the driver when they board a bus. Frazier said not all schools make student identification cards, so this was a good work-around to establish the system.
As of Wednesday, more than 9,000 students had used the program since it was established June 1, Frazier said.
After a previous extension, the program was set to expire at the end of the year. But the board voted unanimously to make it permanent, Frazier said. According to a CARTA document, the policy will be reviewed annually.
“This continuation is an investment in the future of our community,” said the memo sent to CARTA board members before the meeting. “By providing reliable transportation, CARTA is removing barriers to education and enrichment, enabling our youth to reach their fullest potential.”
CARTA has separate agreements with Chattanooga State Community College and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, allowing their students to ride free as well.
Contact Andrew Schwartz at aschwartz@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6431.