Hospitality on Peninsula (HOP) Park and Ride Lot and Shuttle ready to roll

Officials cut ribbon as service is poised to launch Sunday, April 15

The Hospitality on Peninsula (HOP) Park and Ride Lot and Shuttle is ready for business. Officials with the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), the City of Charleston, Charleston County and the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau today participated in a ribbon cutting at the parking facility, located at 999 Morrison Drive. Operations begin at 6 a.m. on Sunday, April 15.

“The HOP represents months of collaborative planning and investment, and is a tangible first step toward addressing parking needs on the peninsula and beyond,” said CARTA board of directors chairman Mike Seekings. “We’ve built it, now it’s time for commuters to come, and we expect they will.”

The lot, which sits on City of Charleston and Charleston County property, features approximately 170 spaces, in addition to ticket kiosks, shelters, lighting, bike racks and an attendant booth. CARTA will operate the parking and shuttle services.

“Easing traffic and parking problems is a critical component in improving livability and protecting our citizens’ quality of life,” said Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg. “This new park-and-ride lot is a small but meaningful step in that direction, and I’d like to thank the County, CARTA and CVB for working so closely with us to make this project a reality.”

The HOP, the first park-and-ride program of its kind on the peninsula, is targeted at workers in the area’s booming hospitality and food-and-beverage industries – though it is open to all commuters – as way to mitigate downtown parking challenges.

“The expansion of safe, reliable, and affordable transportation options will help to revolutionize transit for the hospitality industry,” said Linn Lesesne, Chairman, Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Governors. “The HOP initiative provides our employees who work on the peninsula with a great new option for getting to and from work.”

Key details regarding the lot and shuttle service include:

• Hours of Operation: The shuttle will operate from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily, with bus service every 15 minutes. Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Cost: The cost to park in the lot is a flat fee of $5 all-day. Once a pass is purchased and displayed on a parked vehicle’s dashboard, commuters can board a HOP shuttle for free.
• Route: The HOP shuttle will exit 999 Morrison Drive, turn left onto Romney Street, left onto Meeting Street, left onto Broad Street and left onto East Bay Street as it returns to the lot. There will be eight HOP-specific stops on the route, each denoted by a white bus stop sign.
• Bus Transportation: CARTA will operate the shuttles and the lot itself. Commuters are encouraged to download the Transit app in order to track buses in real-time.

Lot Features:

• Parking attendant on location during all hours of operation
• Enhanced lighting and security cameras
• Holy Spokes bike share on site
• Bike racks available

In addition to the HOP service commuters are also encouraged to explore reduced after-hours fares in City-owned garages and the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Government’s (BCDCOG) recently launched Lowcountry Go commuter services program that offers rideshare matches.

The HOP was brought to fruition via a collaborative partnership between CARTA, theCity of Charleston, Charleston County, the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and the BCDCOG.

ABOUT CARTA

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is a public transportation system dedicated to providing affordable transit in the Charleston community through local fixed routes, on-demand paratransit service and express commuter routes. For the latest on CARTA, visit www.ridecarta.com, like us on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @RideCARTA. All customers are encouraged to plan rides and track buses with the CARTA-endorsed Transit app and the CARTA Bus Tracker.