Update on the FRAC meeting...

Well the FRAC meeting was interesting, if a bit disappointing. There were two other interested people, John and his son Jack. John is avidly anti-automobile and anti-oil dependence. His son Jack is a college student who gets around by bicycle. (I was impressed that Jack, unlike many bicyclists in Charleston actually wears a helmet!) John made a point of ribbing Peter Tecklenberg because he drove the three blocks or so from the office to the meeting at the library. John also stated he has been to the mecca of public transportation known as Portland, Oregon and described getting info from google maps on where and when the next bus was coming that would get him to his desired destination.  The primary discussion was around how to make up the $1.4 million shortfall caused by a drop in the sales tax due to the economy. It looks like the options most likely to be enacted will be a cut in services. Route 106 most likely will be on the chopping block due to low ridership, though someone apparently has started a petition and has gotten over 300 signatures. I was really disappointed that there was such a low turnout, but since the meetings aren't really publicized I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

FRAC Meeting Tomorrow....

On Tuesday June 29th at 5:30pm at the Charleston County Library (Main Branch – Calhoun St) the CARTA Fixed Route Advisory Committee (FRAC) will be meeting

What is FRAC?


The FRAC (Fixed Route Advisory Committee) meetings are intended to seek feedback from members of the community who are particularly interested in transit-related issues. They are informal and open to whoever would like to attend. Meetings are slated monthly.

The meetings are led by a CARTA representative, but the topics of discussion are almost entirely determined by committee members. Minutes aren’t taken; only informal notes that are acted upon, as appropriate, and reported on at the next meeting. Committee members do not have formal responsibilities. Again, the hope with this committee is to open a dialogue between riders, CARTA, and any other interested citizens. We need ideas and suggestions to meet the transportation needs of the communities we serve—basically, we need people who can be our “eyes and ears”…to tell us when something needs to change, or when something is really working well!

If you would like to be a FRAC member and advise us about how to make the bus system work better for riders, please send an email to ptecklenburg@ridecarta.com, with a subject line of FRAC, and your contact information, and someone will be in touch with you soon.

I was able to get some time off tomorrow for this meeting, will post the results in the next few days!