Chattanoogans to get Bus-Fi, contactless payment options on CARTA

Although Bus-Fi is no stranger to San Francisco, it'll be new to Chattanooga, Tennessee soon enough. Reportedly, the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) will be implementing "its long-planned Smartbus program" which includes "automatic vehicle locating via GPS and an automatic vehicle management system." More interesting, however, is the new WiFi system that will enable riders on CARTA buses, CARTA shuttle buses, CARTA Care-a-van vehicles or even the Incline Railway access to free internet. Additionally, users will even be able to "use credit cards and new smartcard technology, one which uses contactless proximity cards to pay bus fares" starting next Spring. As for the free WiFi, expect that to be available sometime over the next 15 months as the new services are gradually added to CARTA vehicles.

[John Cavanagh @ Sep 23rd 2007 2:36AM]

Yeah, now I'll be able to read Engadget while riding the Carta from the parking garage to the Riverbend festival.

[alex @ Sep 23rd 2007 2:51AM]

I think it would be hard to use a laptop on the bus.

A pocket PC maybe.. or maybe an iPod touch or an iPhone.. but not a laptop.

[PhoenixEnigma @ Sep 24th 2007 8:00PM]

Might be hard to use a 17" monster, or even maybe a 15" laptop, but my little 12.1" Sentia m3200 works just fine. Of course, there are some bus routes I would never use it on for fear of mugging, but that's a different matter . . .

[Tim @ Sep 23rd 2007 3:03AM]

chattanooga is a suprisingly progressive city, if you can get past the name. i'm from atlanta, now living in detroit and i was impressed with the little half-million metro a couple of hours north.

carta's downtown loop bus is completely electric; one of the largest fleets in the states.

[Richard Cartwright @ Sep 23rd 2007 5:50PM]

Don't speak Cherokee eh? What did you do to get exiled to Detroit?

[Tim @ Sep 23rd 2007 8:04PM]

detroit's another great city that's just got too much of a negative image floating around it... ('specially thanks to people like yourself who keep the negativity going, no offense)

[Twitchy @ Sep 23rd 2007 3:20AM]

"Verzeihen Sie mein' Herr, wann faehrt der Zug nach Chattanooga?"

Sorry I could neither help it, nor remember the English lyrics.

[Taylor @ Sep 23rd 2007 3:57AM]

Would that be,
"Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga choo-choo?"

[Colin B @ Sep 23rd 2007 11:21AM]

Alright. I'm really excited about this. Tons of people (mostly tourists, but a lot of locals) use the buses, so cool new stuff like this is always exciting...

[Leroy Vargas @ Sep 23rd 2007 11:29AM]

Hey, CARTA sounds a lot like MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, which already uses RFID "Breeze" card to pay fares) or even DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which even though being used by lots of Texas Instruments employees, still has no such thing as RFID)

[GDUB @ Sep 23rd 2007 12:51PM]

Thats the Shortest Wifi enabled bus I have ever seen :)

[matt3775 @ Sep 23rd 2007 4:30PM]

I thought the downtown loop was free? I guess not anymore.

[toronado455 @ Sep 23rd 2007 4:36PM]

"automatic vehicle locating via GPS and an automatic vehicle management system."

I'm picturing a NORAD-like bus command center where busses all over the city show up as little blips on the giant screen. LOL

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 23rd 2007 6:09PM]

Man, I was just battered with Tennessee and Chattanooga ads watching some programs on trains this morning!

If the ads are even close to true Chattanooga actually seems like a cool place to visit.

If the OTHER ads are true poor Ms. Dolly's tooling around on the highway somewhere with the ghost of Elvis!
(He IS done with Odd Thomas...)

[tim @ Sep 24th 2007 11:42AM]

We're also getting Fiber to the Home.
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_111695.asp
http://www01.epb.net/fiber/

[booc0mtaco @ Sep 24th 2007 7:11PM]

My hometown... and so progressive. Honestly, for any people visiting the south, Chattanooga is a good destination. Now, with extra WiFi!

BTW, for those wondering about the name, it's Muskogean for 'Rock coming to a point' roughly.