CARTA officials said East Ridge leaders are interested in finding a designated stream of revenue that would bring full bus service back to the city.
East Ridge is getting limited CARTA service now under a special grant. However, that would end when the grant runs out unless East Ridge finds a funding plan.
"They don't want that to happen," Lisa Maragnano, CARTA executive director, said.
She said CARTA changed the limited service route so that the bus goes up and down Ringgold Road to give the buses more visibility.
Ms. Maragnano said both the new East Ridge city manager, Scott Miller, and Mayor Brent Lambert have indicated an interest in keeping the bus service going.
Steve Jett, CARTA board chairman, said bus service makes sense for East Ridge "because it is a long, skinny city that is quite developed."
He added, "We hope that (permanent bus service to East Ridge) comes to pass. Things have changed since they dropped the service."
Mr. Jett said, "I hope maybe other communities will return (to the CARTA fold)."
Meanwhile, Ms. Maragnano said CARTA is at its fourth temporary bus stop at Eastgate Center since out-of-town owners said they would no longer allow buses on the property.
She said the latest site is at the Uptain Building, which means Eastgate users of the bus have to cross the Eastgate Loop road and then walk some distance to the center. However, it is near the Family Justice Center.
The Eastgate owners, saying heavy buses were damaging its pavement, set a requirement that CARTA build a concrete pad at each stop. Ms. Maragnano said such a pad will be put in at the Uptain Building. But it would have been too expensive to do so going through Eastgate itself.
She said CARTA's most popular route - No. 4 - has been down as many as 6,000 riders in a month since the Eastgate ban started. She said it was off by 2,800 riders last month.
The route also goes downtown as well as to Hamilton Place Mall.
Mr. Jett said many office employees at Eastgate would seem to be prime candidates for the bus service.
Ms. Maragnano said there has been some discussion about the city taking over the Eastgate Loop.
Philip Pugliese, who has worked on the bicycle program as well as the multi-modal center, has been selected as a transportation system planner for CARTA. He starts that job on Jan. 30.