Chatham Area Transit

There are currently three free downtown (dot) shuttles:

Forsyth Loop

Downtown Loop

Savannah Belles Ferry

Issues and controversies

In January 2021, the CAT board voted to terminate CEO Bacarra Mauldin, a surprise decision which was criticized by members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1324, the union which represents CAT transit workers. Initially, the CAT board stated that they had "lost confidence" in Mauldin's ability to lead the organization, while a minority of board members voted against the termination and called for structural change. The decision caused turmoil in the CAT board, and the board voted to remove its vice-chair from his position after he spoke out publicly against the termination. After her termination, Mauldin filed a whistleblower lawsuit against CAT, claiming that she was terminated after she raised concerns regarding violation of federal regulations. In response, CAT's attorneys claimed that Mauldin was terminated for excessive spending. Mauldin eventually dropped the lawsuit. Mauldin was later terminated from a leadership position with the Memphis Area Transit Authority for similar reasons.

Following the hiring of CEO Faye DiMassimo in February 2022, the agency stated that public safety would be balanced with riders' needs. In October 2023, the agency acknowledged an issue with indecent exposure and sexual assault on its buses, with DiMassimo stating that "it happens from time to time." In April 2024, months after launching CAT Connect and CAT SMART, DiMassimo acknowledged that vehicles used for the projects had been operated without insurance as required by state law. DiMassimo had managed the launch of those services. DiMassimo resigned her position as CEO in May 2024, but still serves on the CAT board as an appointee of the local legislative delegation.

On June 16, 2025, a passenger and operator were violently assaulted on a CAT bus, resulting in the hospitalization of the operator; the suspect in the attack had 43 prior arrests. On June 21, 2025, a man was stabbed on a CAT bus following a dispute with another passenger. Following the killing of Iryna Zarutska in nearby Charlotte, North Carolina, which occurred soon after these attacks, CAT faced questions regarding its security program. CAT officials stated that measures to prevent future assaults included increased security staffing and use of facial recognition technology.

In May 2025, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a law which reorganized the Chatham Area Transit Board of Directors, changing the structure and composition of the board and reducing the influence of the Chatham County Commission. The move was opposed by the sitting Board of Directors as well as Chatham County Chairman Chester Ellis, who filed a lawsuit to overturn the law. In November 2025, Ellis expressed the intention to withdraw county involvement in CAT, which was met with surprise from some other members of the Chatham County Commission.

On February 25, 2026, the Chatham Area Transit Board of Directors named Stephanie Cutter as the Authority's new CEO. Cutter had served in the role in an acting capacity since June 2024 and had previously served as CAT's Chief Financial Officer. The move came as CAT was under scrutiny from Chatham County for alleged financial misconduct. ATU Local 1324 leadership described Cutter as "not labor-friendly" and cited concerns about misuse of public funds. ATU Local 1324 President Donya Swinton said that the state of the transit agency is "the worst we have ever been".

In June 2026, Cutter publicly clashed with Ellis, with both accusing each other of being untruthful. Ellis stated that an audit of CAT's finances found "serious problems" and recommended withholding any funding increases for CAT. Additionally, the Chatham County Commission blocked the expansion of the CAT service district to Port Wentworth, citing concerns about the legality of the May 2025 CAT board change. Ellis also stated that Chatham County is looking for a replacement paratransit service provider.