The shuttles will likely run on free routes that serve downtown, St. Elmo and the North Shore, said Savannah Ward, a spokesperson for the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority. Those routes have been all-electric since 1992, Ward said.
Many of the electric shuttles serving those routes are between 20 and 30 years old, CARTA officials said.
Our current fleet is aged, aging quickly, and is quite old," Brandon Meredith, a spokesperson for CARTA, said in a video interview. "So this is really great news for us. We could certainly use some newer shuttles."
The new models should come with air conditioning, which older versions lack. The lack of that amenity is a common complaint among riders, especially during the summer's tourist season, officials have said.
"Anything that's made today better have AC on it," Ward said.
The free downtown shuttle, which runs between garages near the Chattanooga Choo Choo and the Tennessee Aquarium, reached a record high in April with more than 39,000 rides that month, CARTA data shows. Ridership typically peaks in summer months, and January is typically the slowest month, data shows.
The three shuttles will join eight other electric shuttles active in CARTA's fleet, and the authority has more out of service and being rehabbed, Ward said.
The fleet for CARTA's fixed route buses, which serve a larger area, is mixed, Ward said. There are now 12 electric buses and two hybrids, and the rest run on diesel fuel.
The money comes via the Tennessee Department of Transportation's allocation for congestion mitigation and air quality improvement projects. The funds must be awarded to places that haven't met federal air quality standards, according to CARTA.
Hamilton County is the only county in Southeast Tennessee eligible for that type of funding, according to the department. Shelby and Montgomery counties, as well as counties in and around Knoxville and Nashville, are also eligible.
CARTA Chief Executive Charles Frazier said the money will help provide "clean, convenient and accessible transportation options" to Chattanoogans.
"By replacing vehicles and expanding our fleet of all-electric shuttles, we're not only improving rider experience but also reaffirming our commitment to environmental responsibility and downtown vitality," Frazier said in a press release.
CARTA, which also operates the city's parking authority, is hoping to encourage more tourists and locals to "park once" in its garages and use the free shuttles to move around the city core.
Last year, the authority made the first hour of parking free at its CARTA shuttle garages — one on Broad Street near the aquarium and one on Market Street near the Choo Choo terminal.
"These updates not only reduce traffic congestion and emissions, they also enhance the rider experience and help connect people with local shops, restaurants and attractions, reinforcing Chattanooga's commitment to accessible, sustainable urban mobility, a press release said.
Chattanooga is also testing a program to give residents who pay the $5 city sticker tax on their vehicle registration some free parking at public lots and on the street. By the time registration closed this week, nearly 1,300 people had applied for the program, Ward said.
A $25 flat-fee weekend parking pass was also introduced in June. The pass allows unlimited parking on the street and at city garages.
©2025 the Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
