Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority board of directors welcomed CARTA’s new Chief Executive Officer Charles Frazier to the January board meeting Thursday. Mr. Frazier has served two weeks and two days in the new position.
Board Chair Johan de Nysschen pledged that in 2024, Mr. Frazier will guide CARTA to write and present a strategic vision for the organization to the city of Chattanooga, listing development, design, staff evaluations and capital projects as key pieces of the plan.
In his first report to the board as CEO, Mr. Frazier said he will prioritize mobility, infrastructure and CARTA’s position as a driver of economic development in the Chattanooga area.
Mr. Frazier said he will lead CARTA into “lockstep” coordination with the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency and the Chattanooga Transportation Planning Organization to position CARTA well for funding programs. He said he will outline this strategy in more detail at the board’s February meeting.
Mr. Frazier said he would evaluate the state of CARTA’s vehicles, facilities and IT infrastructure and differentiate between proactive maintenance of these assets and “investing in the future.”
Mr. Frazier said he will first focus on $980,000 in grants awarded to CARTA to replace fareboxes and diversify ways to pay. He said $920,000 of funding comes from a TDOT IMPROVE Transit Investment grant. He said CARTA will conduct studies and recommendations and then request proposals.
MR. FRAZIER’S OTHER PRIORITIES:
*Shuttle Park North Restrooms Security*
Public restrooms at the CARTA Shuttle Park North garage near the Aquarium remain locked since a city parks system grant expired. Mr. de Nysschen charged Mr. Frazier to forge a partnership with the city to fund security staff and open the restrooms.
“I’ve had approaches from the mayor’s office,” Mr. de Nysschen said.
*EV Chargers*
Mr. de Nysschen asked Mr. Frazier to approach EPB to take over ownership and operations of the city’s 65 EV chargers, which CARTA hasn’t been able to keep serviceable.
“These things are not part of our core competency,” Mr. de Nysschen said.
Mr. de Nysschen asked Mr. Frazier to explore the renewal of service agreements with the cities of Red Bank and East Ridge, which expire soon.
PARKING METER HIKE
Since an Oct. 1 hike in parking meter fees, raised to $1.50 per hour citywide from $1 per hour, CARTA has reported an average increase in meter revenues of $56,000 monthly when compared to September revenues.
Chief Financial Officer Sonja Sparks reported these meter revenues:
September: $135,221
October: $207,406
November: $186,518
December: $180,878
CARTA GO
CARTA paid Care-A-Van staff $55,000 in November and $78,000 in December, beyond budget, to take over CARTA GO customer service. CARTA GO is an on-demand, rideshare program whose fare is the same as bus fare: $1.50. Riders use an app to book a ride. The relatively new service was introduced in August 2022 and has suffered hiccups such as inaccurate mapping software and confusion for longtime riders planning their new routes.
“This would serve to challenge its sustainability,” said Mr. de Nysschen.
Mr. Frazier suggested consolidating CARTA customer service and dispatch to serve as a “one-stop shop,” one phone number for anything a rider needs.
Mr. Frazier pointed out that the on-demand service should not be designed as a CARTA version of Uber, door-to-door. He said that CARTA is not a private taxi service but a mass transit service.
APP-ONLY STREET PARKING
CARTA introduced a test area of app-only street parking on West Main Street Oct. 1. In the coming weeks, CARTA will add more app-only test areas. Mr. de Nyssen said he wants full conversion from cash or card to app citywide as soon as possible.
“The parking meters cost more than my alimony, which is a lot,” he said. “The sooner we get there, the better.”
Director of Parking and Special Projects Brent Matthews said a comprehensive analysis of cost savings using the ParkMobile app will be presented to the board in March.
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN’S LOST INCLINE REVENUE
Mr. de Nysschen said the Town of Lookout Mountain continues to reach out to CARTA to recoup $120,000 lost to the town annually since CARTA moved the Incline Railway parking lot to the base of the mountain and began selling tickets online, diverting sales tax revenue from in-person ticket sales in the town.
“The topic is festering,” he said. “We do need to bring this somehow to a sustainable solution.”