Charlottesville Area Transit
Founded1975
Headquarters615 East Water Street
LocaleCharlottesville, Virginia
Service areaCity of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Virginia
Service typebus service
Routes13
Fleet36
Daily ridership6,589
Fuel typeDiesel, Hybrid
WebsiteCharlottesville Area Transit

Charlottesville Area Transit (formerly Charlottesville Transit Service)[1] is the provider of mass transportation in Charlottesville, Virginia. The organization was formed in 1975 when the city bought out Yellow Transit Company, which held a private monopoly on city busing. In 1999, the agency took a big leap in terms of providing better service and gaining more ridership, as it established a free shuttle route (which is officially called a trolley, using green-painted trolley-style buses) connected downtown with the University of Virginia. In 2007, the University Transit Service and Charlottesville Area Transit entered into an open ridership agreement that allows UVA students, faculty, and staff ride CAT for free by showing a valid UVA ID card.[2] Eleven routes are offered Monday through Saturday from the early morning until the late evening. Sunday service is only available on the Free Trolley and Routes 2, 9, and 12.

Fares

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and funds provided by the American Rescue Plan & CARES Act, CAT operates fare-free. In December 2021, the City of Charlottesville announced that they received a grant from the Commonwealth Transportation Board to continue fare-free service through June 2026.[3]

Routes

Route[4] Terminals Primary Hubs Additional Major Stops Notes
1

PVCC & Riverside

PVCC

(Dickinson Bldg)

Riverside Ave

(Riverbluff Cir)

  • Downtown Transit Station
  • PVCC @ Dickinson Bldg.
  • Market St. @ Old Preston
  • Riverside Ave.
2

5th Street Station

5th Street Station Loop
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • 5th Street Station
  • Avon St. Ext. @ Park & Ride
  • Willoughby Square Shopping Center
  • Free parking at Avon St. Ext. Park & Ride
3

Southwood & Belmont

Southwood Mobile Home Park Belmont Park
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • Willoughby Square Shopping Center
  • Southwood
  • Market St. @ Old Preston
  • Belmont Park
  • Willoughby Square Shopping Center
  • Albemarle County Office Building
4

UVA Health & Willoughby (via Cherry Ave./Harris Rd.)

Willoughby Square Shopping Center UVA Hospital Downtown Transit Station
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • UVA Hospital/Pinn Hall (outbound & inbound)
  • Willoughby Square Shopping Center
5

Barracks Road Shopping Center & Walmart

Barracks Road Shopping Center Walmart
  • Barracks Road Shopping Center (Arlington Blvd.)
  • Fashion Square Mall
  • Walmart
  • Shops at Stonefield
  • Rio Hill Shopping Center (at Berkmar Dr.)
  • Albemarle Square Shopping Center
6

UVA Health & Willoughby (via Ridge St. & Prospect Ave.)

Willoughby Square Shopping Center UVA Hospital Downtown Transit Station
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • Pinn Hall
  • Willoughby Square Shopping Center
7

UVA Health, Barracks Road Shopping Center, and Fashion Square

Downtown Transit Station Fashion Square Mall
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • UVA Hospital/Pinn Hall (outbound & inbound)
  • Barracks Road Shopping Center (northbound & southbound, Arlington Blvd.)
  • Kroger at Hydraulic Rd.
  • Fashion Square Mall
  • Amtrak Station
  • Shops at Stonefield
  • Seminole Square Shopping Center
8

Preston Ave. & Stonefield

Downtown Transit Station Shops at Stonefield
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • Barracks Road Shopping Center (CVS)
  • Kroger at Hydraulic Road
  • Seminole Square Shopping Center
  • Shops at Stonefield
9

UVA Health, YMCA, and CHS

Downtown Transit Station Kenwood Ln. at Yorktown Dr.
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • UVA Hospital (outbound & inbound)
  • YMCA (outbound & inbound)
  • Grove Rd. at Concord Dr. (Charlottesville High School)
  • Health Department
10

Pantops & Martha Jefferson

Downtown Transit Station Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • Pantops Shopping Center
  • Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
  • Avermore Apartments
  • Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center
11

Locust & Fashion Square

Downtown Transit Station Fashion Square Mall
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • Fashion Square Mall
  • Locust Grove Neighborhood
  • Pen Park
  • CATEC
12

Seminole Trail (Sundays only)

Downtown Transit Station Walmart
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • UVA Hospital/Pinn Hall (outbound & inbound)
  • Barracks Road Shopping Center (northbound & southbound, Arlington Blvd.)
  • Fashion Square Mall (inbound & outbound)
  • Walmart
  • Amtrak Station
  • Shops at Stonefield
  • Seminole Square Shopping Center
  • Rio Hill Shopping Center (at Berkmar Dr.)
  • Albemarle Square Shopping Center
  • Currently not in service due to COVID-19
T

Free Trolley

UVA at Stadium Rd. Downtown Transit Station
  • Downtown Transit Station
  • UVA Hospital
  • UVA Chapel
  • Amtrak Station

Fleet Information

The fleet consists of the following vehicles (as of September 2018):[5]

Year/Make Capacity Length Fuel Wheel Chair Lift/Ramp
2008 Gillig Low Floor Trolley Replica 20 30' Diesel Front
2008 Gillig Low Floor 26 35' Diesel Front
2008 Gillig Low Floor 20 29' Diesel Front
2010 Gillig Low Floor 20 29' Hybrid Electric Front
2010 Gillig Low Floor 26 35' Diesel Front
2011 GM-Goshen BOC 12 26' Diesel Rear
2011 Gillig Low Floor 20 29' Hybrid Electric Front
2012 Gillig Low Floor 20 29' Hybrid Electric Front
2012 GM-Goshen BOC 12 26' Diesel Rear
2013 GM-Goshen BOC 12 26' Diesel Rear
2014 Gillig Low Floor 20 29' Hybrid Electric Front
2014 Gillig Low Floor Trolley Replica 26 35' Diesel Front
2014 Gillig Low Floor 26 35' Diesel Front
2015 Gillig Low Floor 26 35' Diesel Front
2016 GM-Arboc BOC 12 26' Gasoline Rear

References

  1. ^ "With new bus service name come route revisions". Daily Progress. 10 August 2010. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Parking & Transportation". www.virginia.edu. Archived from the original on 2008-07-06.
  3. ^ "Charlottesville, VA". Charlottesville, VA. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  4. ^ "CAT Rider's Guide". August 4, 2018. Archived from the original on 2020-10-30.
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2021-12-15.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

External links


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