Cobb Community Transit

Cobb Community Transit
Slogan We're going your way
Founded July, 1989
Headquarters 463 Commerce Park Dr.
Marietta, Georgia
Service area Cobb County (Some Stops in Fulton)
Service type transit bus, paratransit, express bus service
Routes 17
Daily ridership 10,392 (2005 est.)
Operator Cobb County
Website cobbdot.org/cct.htm

Cobb Community Transit or CCT is the bus public transit system in Cobb County, Georgia, one of metro Atlanta's three most populous suburban counties. (The others are Gwinnett County, which operates Gwinnett County Transit and Clayton County, which formerly operated Clayton County C-TRAN.)

Operation

The CCT began operations in July 1989, and has had relatively strong ridership (3,793,253 total passengers in 2005) since then. The hub is along South Marietta Parkway in Marietta, just west of Southern Polytechnic State University. Routes connect to the most populated areas of the county, including Mableton and Kennesaw. Express routes also operate down to Atlanta, connecting with MARTA at the Arts Center station. Transfers are free between MARTA and CCT, though both transit agencies charge the same fare ($2.50). CCT's annual operating budget is about $12.9 million dollars (2004), from fares and the general county budget, as well as Federal grants.

All buses make automatic announcements inside the bus of upcoming stops and major roads, and stop requests from passengers. This is done by pre-recorded voice announcements for the vision-impaired and LED message signs for the hearing-impaired. External announcements are also made by voice, in addition to the normal electronic signs. Some buses also run on compressed natural gas (CNG) rather than diesel.

Planning

Along with Gwinnett, Cobb voted against MARTA in the 1970s, and thus was left out of the system. The lack of sales tax revenue from the two counties stunted the growth of MARTA, however the GRTA created by former governor of Georgia Roy Barnes has been seeking to create other solutions, such as possible light rail to Cobb through the Cumberland Mall and Town Center at Cobb areas. Other solutions proposed include special bus-only lanes on Interstate 75, and commuter rail into Cherokee County. A cross-suburb line over to Gwinnett County has also been proposed, intersecting with a future extended MARTA north line between Roswell and Sandy Springs in Fulton County.

2019 Light Rail Proposal

In May 2010 Cobb's Board of Commissioners approved further funding to study a light rail line from the Cumberland/Galleria area to the Town Center/KSU area. If constructed, the line would be approximately 14.5 miles (23.3 km) long with seven stations. The proposed line would be constructed and operational by 2019 with the expectation of nearly 50,000 riders daily by 2025. At each end of the line a circulator bus system has also been proposed bringing the total expected ridership for the new combined LRT/BRT system to nearly 100,000. The project would be funded and operated through both federal and local sources. As of 2010 it is unclear whether or not the new transit system would be operated by CCT, a new agency, or even another existing agency such as MARTA.[1]

Shortfalls

CCT generally serves the core portions of the county, with little to no service to the West and East sides. Acworth, as well as the greater Northwestern area of the county lack local service, with only express routes operating out of the newly renovated Acworth Park and Ride lot. East Cobb holds a single local route, route 65. Many County-owned facilities, such as the West Cobb Regional Library and Mountain View Aquatic Center have no service at all. Other busy throughways, perfect spots for a transit corridor, such as Dallas Highway (in West Cobb) and the northern end of Cobb Parkway have no service. Other complaints include infrequent service to MARTA stations as well as a complete shutdown of the system every Sunday and on Holidays, as opposed to other regional operators, which operate reduced schedules on these days.

Routes

Most routes begin and end at the Marietta Transfer Center, though several operate from the Cumberland Boulevard Transfer Center.

Local

Express

Express buses run only during peak hours, and only weekdays. Morning buses run only to Atlanta, afternoon buses only from Atlanta. All buses run via I-75, I-575 and I-20, and charge a fare of three dollars one-way, four for a round trip.

Park and Ride Lots and Transfer Centers

References

  1. ↑ http://dot.cobbcountyga.gov/Planning_Studies/DOT_Visions_Final_May2010.pdf

External links

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