Nine downtown sites - most clustered around the Chattanooga Choo Choo - are being eyed for a new multi-modal transit center.
The facility would have up to 24 bays for CARTA buses and also have rail access.
It will be designed for all types of transit, including taxis and other bus lines such as Greyhound and Megabus if they choose to use it.
The sites under consideration are U.S. Pipe, the Chattanooga Choo Choo, Warner Park by the Zoo, the old Carter Distributing on Broad Street, Pilgrim's Pride across from Carter Distributing, a lot owned by the city of Cincinnati across from the Choo Choo, a tract on Holtzclaw Avenue owned by the city, a Pilgrim's Pride warehouse near the Choo Choo and a tract on E. 11th Street.
A consultant on the project told the CARTA board, "We have at least two really great sites. These sites work really, really well." But he did not specify which ones he was referring to. It would need to be spacious since the area for the buses alone would be three acres.
The center could also function as a railroad station, it was stated. A study is currently underway on the possibility of light rail service for Chattanooga.
The issue of funding will be considered later.
The CDM Smith firm from Knoxville is also studying service improvements for CARTA, including possibly bringing back bus lines to such outlying areas as Soddy Daisy, East Ridge, Collegedale, Red Bank, Signal Mountain and Lookout Mountain.
Steve Jett, CARTA board chairman, said that would take cooperation from the cities. He said some of them may now see the value of bus service some two decades after voting to quit paying for it.
The study calls for eliminating some current bus stops in order to expedite service.
It also recommends several express routes, including one called the Shopping Express that would hit all the major shopping centers.
Another would be a north/south route and a third go to the Airport.
Also discussed was the idea of flex routes that would have a set route, but could deviate off it at times.
Some of the service changes might happen soon, while others would be several years away, it was stated.
Some might be revenue neutral, while others might save money, it was stated.