CARTA Ridership Spiking Upwards

Thursday, December 20, 2012

CARTA is seeing a remarkable spike in its ridership, Assistant Executive Director Lisa M. Maragnano told CARTA board members on Thursday.

She said ridership year to date is 1,689,688, up from 1,391,990.

Transit ridership has climbed from 797,304 to 966,482 for this point in the fiscal year.

The shuttle ridership is up to 485,465 from 392,201.

The Incline Railway has gone from 182,429 riders to 212,438.

Care-A-Van is up from 20,046 to 25,303.

The North Shore Shuttle has gone from 23,157 to 34,745 and the MOCS Express at UTC from 63,404 to 79,095.

Ms. Maragnano said the only factors she could point to might be better weather and increased shopping activity.

She said CARTA's budget is being helped by lower fuel prices - down to $3.08 per gallon for diesel.

Also, she said the insurance increase that was feared to reach 20 percent is at 14.25 percent. She said some additional options are being studied for savings.


Detective Lankford Receives Optimist Club's "Respect For Law" Award

The Scenic Chattanooga Optimist Club honored Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Robin Langford at the club’s “Respect for Law Award” luncheon held May 17.  Detective Langford was nominated and chosen because of his outstanding forensic investigative skills, where he takes the lead role in crime scene investigations and forensic analysis.   The club’s ... (click for more)

Local Business Leaders Complete Public School Projects, Graduate From Leadership Chattanooga

Thirty-nine of the city’s emerging leaders capped off 10 months of skill-building, leadership education and community project implementation today at the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Community Leadership Luncheon. Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke delivered the keynote address at the event, which took place at the Chattanooga Convention Center between 11:30 a.m. and ... (click for more)

Man Stabbed To Death After Argument

A Chattanooga man was stabbed to death after an argument on Friday night. At approximately 11 p.m., Chattanooga Police responded to a stabbing at 101 E 20 th St. where they found the victim, Alexis Lewis, 51, lying on the walkway with a fatal stab wound to his chest. Detectives located the suspect, William Morris Jr., 66, and found that he and Lewis had an argument earlier ... (click for more)

Baker Says City Withdrawal On Riverbend Security Will Make Pin Costs Rise Next Year

Riverbend Festival Executive Director Chip Baker told the Civitan Club on Friday that the city's decision to no longer provide city police officers inside the festival gates will cost pin prices to go up next year. Mr. Baker said, "I understand the actions that governments have to take, but we'll have to adjust our prices next year. How much, I don't know yet." City officials ... (click for more)

Scandals At Home And Abroad

Since my hip operation and time in recovery, I have tried to set aside things that are insignificant to me and to average Americans. Don't get me wrong here. What these people are doing (Bengahzi) is despicable be they left or right wing, and they have been doing it (both sides) for a long time. But the dirty deeds themselves carry little weight as to what they mean to you or me. ... (click for more)

Roy Exum: 50 Facts About Our Bodies

Maybe 20 years ago I became entranced by a book called “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made.” It was co-authored by a surgeon, Paul Brand, and a Christian writer, Phillip Yancey, and gave one specific after another about the human body and how only God could have created such a miraculous machine. Today the book is a classic and I have marveled ever since over how unbelievable human ... (click for more)