Chattanooga Pulse

Although many Chattanoogans are perfectly content to ride their bikes around town, even in the chilliest of weather, there are some warmer options that will hopefully serve to keep the planet cool.

We are lucky in Chattanooga to have an amazing public transportation system. Dating back to the first horse-drawn trolley cars in 1875, public transport evolved from horses to electric streetcars in 1889 and eventually motorbuses. In 1941, Southern Coach Lines took over, and the last streetcar line was shut down in 1946.

Today we are served by the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority or CARTA, made up of a Board of Directors that represents local communities.

CARTA has 16 routes, and for $50—the cost it takes some of us to fill a tank of gas—you can purchase a 31-Day Unlimited Ride Pass. For six dollars. you can get unlimited rides for 24 hours (a pass that can be recharged for four dollars). For a one-way trip, it’s only $1.50. And with 7 Park & Ride lots, you can leave your car and hop on the bus to take you to work, play, and everything in between.

Getting a little cold on that bike? All buses have bike racks, so you can stow your wheels securely on the front of the bus and have a warm ride. More importantly, buses are wheelchair accessible to accommodate even more residents. It is the variety among the ridership that makes for such a unique experience while riding the bus. If you aren’t too shy, riding the bus can be a great way to make new acquaintances, or at the very least do some great people watching. I am not suggesting you make it your job to stalk or harass people on the bus, but it is a proven venue for intrigue. Take a ride and see for yourself.

Another service offered by CARTA is the Electric Shuttle. These shuttles have been running from the Chattanooga Choo Choo through downtown to the Aquarium since 1992. With stops every block in between these two points, the shuttle is bound to be going somewhere you want to be. These shuttles, it should be noted, are also wheelchair accessible. These stealthy little buses have prevented an estimated 65 tons of pollutants. I’m not sure which is better about this system: having zero emissions or costing zero dollars.

There may be certain stigmas attached to using public transpor-tation, but it is really an act of community to enjoy transport among your fellow Chattanoogans. Think of how many more people you will interact with each day. Instead of traveling in your own personal global-warming machine, you will have numerous opportunities to observe, converse with, help, and learn from the people you live with. All the while, you will be making a decision that makes sense not only for your needs but also for the needs of the environment.

We are fortunate, for a Southern city, to have such a fine transportation system. As I have noticed while growing up in the South, we tend to depend on our personal vehicles for getting around sprawling towns and also as a means of independence. However, driving is truly a luxury, considering its cost and also the price we pay for the way we use driving in our country. By substituting a couple of bus rides a week for the general puttering around town, you can contribute to a community asset that has an impressive list of benefits.

So next time you are driving around, find a lot where you can leave the car and take a whirl on the bus. If you get cold on your bike or lose your dignity to a patch of black ice, put your bike on the rack and take a warm seat. There are few simpler pleasures than sitting among your fellow citizens and watching together as the blocks go by. Buy a pass or find some bills for the fare box.

Just make sure to always have exact change.

For more info about CARTA, go to www.carta-bus.org on the web.

Victoria Hurst is a proud resident of the Appalachian Mountains. She has recently graduated from Warren Wilson College with a B.A. in Creative Writing.