In 2023, more than 7 billion trips were taken on America’s public transit systems, in towns, cities, and rural areas across the country. Demand for transit is growing, as the cost of car ownership increases and fewer young people express interest in driving. Moreover, as America’s population ages, an increasing number of people will lose the desire or ability to drive. Transit provides an affordable option that allows everyone—including older adults, people with disabilities, youth, and people without cars—to continue participating in the economic and social life of their community.
To meet this demand, transit leaders are finding innovative ways to provide service. Too often, however, these agencies must make difficult trade-offs, shifting and even cutting services as resources are insufficient.
Small Cities, Big Moves focuses on transit in small cities—places with populations between 50,000 and 200,000, of which there are over 300 in the United States. Transit serves an essential role in these communities, yet they are rarely studied.
Clemson, South Carolina is the first of seven case studies we’ll feature in weekly quick takes—read on!
Clemson, South Carolina, is the hub of an urbanized area with 118,369 people. The city boasts a growing nightlife and an economy centered around small businesses and the integrally attached Clemson University. The people of Clemson use the city’s transit routes and services for everything from occasional needs, such as medical appointments and intercity travel, to daily trips to and from work, shopping centers, and grocery stores.
Running on weekdays and weekends alike, Clemson Area Transit (CAT), a department of the City of Clemson, supports its 869,103 annual passengers almost 24/7. Buses pick riders up as early as 5:45 a.m. and drop off others as late as 3 a.m. Since its founding, CAT has been fare-free, charging nothing for rides. Clemson’s transit managers have focused on matching their service to the demands of the region’s economy, including serving the large student population. As a result, the transit system has achieved rapid growth, including a 46.29% increase in ridership between FY22 and FY23, since coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding newer buses, equipment, and staff to support more efficient and reliable service.
CAT receives 80% to 90% of its funding from federal grants. The transit system is also supported locally, including by Clemson University, neighboring municipalities, and local real estate developers, to assist with funding new routes and bus shelters. Clemson University’s Senior Associate Director of Transit Operations for Parking and Transportation Services, Dr. Katerina Moreland, says the University’s partnership with CAT is essential to meeting the needs of students and staff due to the fact that about 70% of Clemson’s students live off campus and there is not enough parking available on campus to accommodate them all. The University directly supports several CAT routes, including the Red Route, which has about 95% student riders, and the Gold Route, which serves the main campus and a major off-campus residential area. Launched in 2023, the Gold Route has spurred a 22% increase in transit use at the university. According to Dr. Moreland, “The university relies on Clemson Area Transit; they are a primary commute option that we promote in any venue possible.”
To support the community’s needs, CAT must effectively manage its available funding. To reduce spikes in capital costs and maintain fleet efficiency, CAT replaces a fraction of its fleet every other year on a rolling basis. CAT was one of the earliest transit agencies to deploy electric buses more than 10 years ago, and the current fleet is a mix of electric and diesel buses. In July 2024, CAT won a $4.6 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to replace three of its older diesel buses with cleaner compressed natural gas buses.
The business of running a transit system in a growing area with a vibrant university means constantly evolving to meet new demands. As CAT’s now retired Interim General Manager Jerry Kerns noted, “It’s a daily task for us to try to anticipate where the growth is going to be.” CAT has plans to expand further in the coming year, branching out into outlying counties and introducing additional routes, although this expansion is not yet budgeted, as there is more demand than can be met with current resources.