An agreement between Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority and Chattanooga State Community College attempts to reduce transportation barriers to education.
Chattanooga State Community College students, staff, and faculty will be able to use any bus route offered by the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) for free as long as they present a valid college ID. The agreement will last through August 31, 2022. It is a revival of a previous arrangement that ended in 2012 due to funding. Administrators at CSCC say that free bus rides will help to reduce one barrier to program completion faced by many students.
In a recent news release, Interim Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Amanda Bennett, explained that the pandemic has worsened the financial situation of many students. "The economic impact of coronavirus has created additional financial barriers for our students. And many students struggle with meeting the basic need of transportation," Bennett said.
"As Chattanooga State resumed in-person instruction, addressing transportation barriers will ensure a smooth transition from virtual learning to face-to-face instruction. Providing a safe and fare-free transportation option helps to remove a barrier that may otherwise prevent students from completing their education," Bennett added.
Director of Communications and Planning at CARTA, Veronica Peebles, weighed in as well, saying, "CARTA is very glad to resume its partnership with Chattanooga State Community College by providing the universal access program. When the program was discontinued in 2012, Chattanooga State worked very hard for years to find opportunities to fund it. We at CARTA understand how necessary public transportation is for many of their students who have no other options, and Chattanooga State removed this barrier by offering them free bus rides through this program."