Chattanooga Transportation

Chattanooga Transportation

Chatt Choices™

Chattanooga Airport

Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport

Groome Transportation

Groome Transportation

CARTA

Getting Around the Scenic City

From highways to waterways, Chattanooga is located at a crossroads for travel and commerce. Since the first horse-drawn trolley hit Market Street in 1875, Chattanooga has continued to modernize transportation for a safer, more effective, and more sustainable way of life.

The Tennessee River and its tributaries have provided transportation for as long as people have been settled in the Tennessee Valley. Today, river barges save hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation costs by transporting over 50 million tons of goods every year, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

In addition to busy waterways, Chattanooga has a rich history of railway systems supporting the local economy, dating back to the arrival of its first rail line in 1850, the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Several companies, such as Norfolk Southern and CSX, facilitate freight transportation on the railways today.

Beside barges and trains, Chattanooga has earned the nickname “Freight Alley” and “the Silicon Valley of trucking” due to its location at the convergence of three major interstates. This convenient position draws some of the largest trucking companies to the Scenic City, including Covenant Logistics and U.S. Xpress. Chattanooga is also a hot spot for third-party logistics companies, with familiar names such as Kenco Logistics, Coyote Logistics, LogistiX, Trident Transport,
and Steam Logistics.   

Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) continues to see impressive growth while receiving recognition for its commitment to sustainability. With the recent addition of a covered parking garage and improved TSA checkpoint navigation, a 26,000-square-foot terminal expansion is now underway to add restrooms, concessions, and three new gates for more efficient boarding and deplaning. In addition to previously established nonstop flights to major hubs such as Charlotte, Dallas, and Atlanta, CHA will begin offering nonstop flights to Las Vegas in May of 2024.

The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) offers an option for those who wish to keep their wheels on the ground. Operating one of the largest fleets of electrical buses in the country, CARTA runs 15 fixed bus routes and manages the free Downtown Electric Shuttle system, the latter having recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. CARTA upholds its innovative legacy with plans to install a charging pad for buses along the No. 14 route. This charging station will be the first of its kind in Chattanooga, providing in-route charging for more efficient bus service.

Since launching in 2012, Bike Chattanooga has provided a sustainable and cost-effective transportation option for locals and visitors alike. Riders have access to over 450 regular and electronic bikes at the 43 stations located throughout the city.

In collaboration with CARTA, TVA, and the State of Tennessee, Chattanooga is committed to overcoming the challenges of electrifying transportation. There are over 200 public Level 2 and 3 charging stations for electric vehicle users in and around the city, with more charging stations planned for installment every 50 miles along major highways throughout the Tennessee Valley.

With over 450 regular and electronic bikes available across 43 stations in the city, Bike Chattanooga continues to meet the high demand for city biking. Riders have the option of a daily pass for $10, 3-day pass for $20, or annual pass for $50.

The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is Hamilton County’s public transit system, reliably transporting roughly 3 million passengers each year. In addition to the Downtown Electric Shuttle, CARTA operates the Care-a-Van service for the disabled and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.

he public transit system for Hamilton County and the surrounding areas. CARTA manages the Care-a-Van service for the disabled, the Downtown Electric Shuttle, downtown parking, and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. CARTA also has 17 fixed bus routes serving Chattanooga with fares beginning at 75 cents per ride. 

Take to the skies from the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA), which has many of the services and none of the stress of a much larger airport. CHA offers convenient parking options, LEED-certified facilities, and a number of nonstop flights through major airlines Delta, United, Allegiant, and American Airlines.

Across from the Chattanooga Airport is the fixed base operator (FBO) Wilson Air Center, which caters highly rated services to private air travelers. Professional Pilot magazine has named Wilson Air Center the best FBO in the country, and plans are underway to develop Hixon’s Dallas Bay Skypark into a private fly-in community.

Electric vehicle operators have access to over 200 charging stations in the Chattanooga region, including areas such as Lookout Mountain, Hixson, East Brainerd, and Ooltewah. Out of the stations in the area, 42 are free, and 80 are fast charging stations.

Groome Transportation is a convenient option for an airport-to-city shuttle. Located in East Ridge, Groome operates daily trips between the Scenic City and nearby Nashville International Airport and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

All interstates lead to the Scenic City, or so it seems. Chattanooga’s sweet spot along I-24, I-59, and I-75 connects it to nearby major cities in the Southeast, including Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

Some of the nation’s top logistics providers gravitate to the strong entrepreneurial spirit and convenient location of the Scenic City. Chatta-nooga is host to the annual Future of Freight Festival, uniting leaders and experts to forecast market trends in the industry. Several local businesses have been featured on the Inc. 5000 list of “Fastest Growing Companies in America,” including Steam Logistics, MOCA Logistics, KCH Transportation, Trident Transport, F2F Transport, and LogistiX.

Two major railway companies link the Scenic City to the rest of the country and support consumer supply chains. Norfolk Southern’s Crescent Corridor spans 2,500 miles from New Jersey to Louisiana, and CSX railways cover 1,600 miles of track throughout the state of Tennessee.

Chattanooga, sometimes known as “Freight City,” is popular among trucking companies for its strategic location in the Southeast. U.S. Xpress and Covenant Logistics both call the Scenic City home, providing long-distance trucking and the distribution of raw materials and finished goods to manufacturers.

The Tennessee River, connected to a wealth of inland rivers, plays a significant role in transporting raw and finished goods throughout the Southeast. Several terminals are operated along the river, with companies like Serodino, Inc. transporting more than 2 million tons of cargo annually.

Getting Around the Scenic City

From highways to waterways, Chattanooga is located at a crossroads for travel and commerce. Since the first horse-drawn trolley hit Market Street in 1875, Chattanooga has continued to modernize transportation for a safer, more effective, and more sustainable way of life.

The Tennessee River and its tributaries have provided transportation for as long as people have been settled in the Tennessee Valley. Today, river barges save hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation costs by transporting over 50 million tons of goods every year, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

In addition to busy waterways, Chattanooga has a rich history of railway systems supporting the local economy, dating back to the arrival of its first rail line in 1850, the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Several companies, such as Norfolk Southern and CSX, facilitate freight transportation on the railways today.

Beside barges and trains, Chattanooga has earned the nickname “Freight Alley” and “the Silicon Valley of trucking” due to its location at the convergence of three major interstates. This convenient position draws some of the largest trucking companies to the Scenic City, including Covenant Logistics and U.S. Xpress. Chattanooga is also a hot spot for third-party logistics companies, with familiar names such as Kenco Logistics, Coyote Logistics, LogistiX, Trident Transport,
and Steam Logistics.   

Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) continues to see impressive growth while receiving recognition for its commitment to sustainability. With the recent addition of a covered parking garage and improved TSA checkpoint navigation, a 26,000-square-foot terminal expansion is now underway to add restrooms, concessions, and three new gates for more efficient boarding and deplaning. In addition to previously established nonstop flights to major hubs such as Charlotte, Dallas, and Atlanta, CHA will begin offering nonstop flights to Las Vegas in May of 2024.

The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) offers an option for those who wish to keep their wheels on the ground. Operating one of the largest fleets of electrical buses in the country, CARTA runs 15 fixed bus routes and manages the free Downtown Electric Shuttle system, the latter having recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. CARTA upholds its innovative legacy with plans to install a charging pad for buses along the No. 14 route. This charging station will be the first of its kind in Chattanooga, providing in-route charging for more efficient bus service.

Since launching in 2012, Bike Chattanooga has provided a sustainable and cost-effective transportation option for locals and visitors alike. Riders have access to over 450 regular and electronic bikes at the 43 stations located throughout the city.

In collaboration with CARTA, TVA, and the State of Tennessee, Chattanooga is committed to overcoming the challenges of electrifying transportation. There are over 200 public Level 2 and 3 charging stations for electric vehicle users in and around the city, with more charging stations planned for installment every 50 miles along major highways throughout the Tennessee Valley.

With over 450 regular and electronic bikes available across 43 stations in the city, Bike Chattanooga continues to meet the high demand for city biking. Riders have the option of a daily pass for $10, 3-day pass for $20, or annual pass for $50.

The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) is Hamilton County’s public transit system, reliably transporting roughly 3 million passengers each year. In addition to the Downtown Electric Shuttle, CARTA operates the Care-a-Van service for the disabled and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway.

Take to the skies from the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA), which has many of the services and none of the stress of a much larger airport. CHA offers convenient parking options, LEED-certified facilities, and a number of nonstop flights through major airlines Delta, United, Allegiant, and American Airlines.

Across from the Chattanooga Airport is the fixed base operator (FBO) Wilson Air Center, which caters highly rated services to private air travelers. Professional Pilot magazine has named Wilson Air Center the best FBO in the country, and plans are underway to develop Hixon’s Dallas Bay Skypark into a private fly-in community.

Electric vehicle operators have access to over 200 charging stations in the Chattanooga region, including areas such as Lookout Mountain, Hixson, East Brainerd, and Ooltewah. Out of the stations in the area, 42 are free, and 80 are fast charging stations.

Groome Transportation is a convenient option for an airport-to-city shuttle. Located in East Ridge, Groome operates daily trips between the Scenic City and nearby Nashville International Airport and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.

All interstates lead to the Scenic City, or so it seems. Chattanooga’s sweet spot along I-24, I-59, and I-75 connects it to nearby major cities in the Southeast, including Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta, and Birmingham.

Some of the nation’s top logistics providers gravitate to the strong entrepreneurial spirit and convenient location of the Scenic City. Chatta-nooga is host to the annual Future of Freight Festival, uniting leaders and experts to forecast market trends in the industry. Several local businesses have been featured on the Inc. 5000 list of “Fastest Growing Companies in America,” including Steam Logistics, MOCA Logistics, KCH Transportation, Trident Transport, F2F Transport, and LogistiX.

Two major railway companies link the Scenic City to the rest of the country and support consumer supply chains. Norfolk Southern’s Crescent Corridor spans 2,500 miles from New Jersey to Louisiana, and CSX railways cover 1,600 miles of track throughout the state of Tennessee.

Chattanooga, sometimes known as “Freight City,” is popular among trucking companies for its strategic location in the Southeast. U.S. Xpress and Covenant Logistics both call the Scenic City home, providing long-distance trucking and the distribution of raw materials and finished goods to manufacturers.

The Tennessee River, connected to a wealth of inland rivers, plays a significant role in transporting raw and finished goods throughout the Southeast. Several terminals are operated along the river, with companies like Serodino, Inc. transporting more than 2 million tons of cargo annually.

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