Expanding transit. Expanding opportunity.

As CATS embarks on a generational expansion, it is broadening the definition of customer experience to reflect the broader value its system will offer.

By Brent Cagle, Interim Chief Executive Officer | Charlotte Area Transit System

The Charlotte Area Transit System provides bus, light rail, streetcar, paratransit and microtransit services throughout the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. As the region’s public transportation provider, CATS connects residents to employment, education, healthcare and other essential destinations while supporting the continued growth of one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas.

CATS is now preparing for a generational expansion through its 2055 Transit System Plan. The plan will significantly increase bus service, extend rapid transit and introduce new mobility options designed around the distinct needs of communities across Mecklenburg County.

This expansion has also prompted CATS to think more broadly about the experience it provides. Safe vehicles, reliable service, convenient schedules and clear rider information remain fundamental. But customer experience is also shaped by where the system can take people, the choices available to them and the confidence they have in the investments being made on their behalf.

For CATS, delivering an excellent customer experience means connecting more residents to opportunity while providing high-quality service, customer-centered mobility choices and clear accountability to the communities we serve. Our expanded system will both move people and move the region forward.

A broader definition
We are delivering the expansion under CATS’ 2055 Transit System Plan, the transit component of the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization’s (CRTPO) long-range Metropolitan Transportation Plan. Our 2055 Transit System plan combines two major initiatives to improve connectivity: the Better Bus Program and the Rapid Transit Corridor System Plan. Together, they will deliver unprecedented regional mobility throughout Mecklenburg County.

The Better Bus Program pairs significant service expansion with investments that make transit more frequent, accessible and connected. The Rail Transit Corridor System Plan will add 43 miles of commuter rail, light rail, streetcar and bus rapid transit service. As we expand to connect more people, places and services, our customer experience definition has expanded, too. It now incorporates four key areas:
• Greater access to opportunity
• High-quality service
• Customer-centered mobility choices
• Transparency and accountability

Our goal is to connect customers safely, conveniently and reliably to jobs, educational opportunities, healthcare and other essential destinations, while providing mobility options that reflect the needs of the communities we serve.
The following details each of the four areas that inform our customer experience.

Greater access to opportunity
In 2025, Mecklenburg County voters approved a historic 1-cent sales tax, adding to the existing ½-cent sales tax, to support the region’s long-term transportation vision. Throughout the campaign, the conversation focused not simply on the projects the investment would fund, but on what those projects would make possible: greater mobility, stronger connections and expanded access to opportunity. The measure is expected to generate approximately $19.4 billion over 30 years for transportation and transit improvements.

Our region continues to attract new residents, employers and investment, creating opportunities throughout the region. An expanded transit system will help ensure that more people can participate in that growth by connecting them with employment centers, universities, colleges, hospitals, clinics and other essential destinations.

Through the 2055 Transit System Plan, CATS aims to bring more than 320,000 additional jobs and important community destinations within reach of the transit network. More frequent bus service, new rapid transit corridors and expanded microtransit will strengthen connections across the county, including in communities where transportation options have historically been limited.

This is the broader value of transit investment. By making it easier for residents to reach the places where they can work, learn, receive care and build their futures, CATS can help translate regional growth into shared opportunity.

High-quality service
For approximately 60% of CATS customers, their journey begins at the bus stop, making bus service the backbone of the passenger experience and a priority alongside every rail investment we pursue.

Once our Better Bus Program is completed, passengers will experience a systemwide 50% increase in bus service hours, with 15 key routes operating at 15-minute frequencies or better. All other routes will offer service intervals of 30 minutes or less. Under the program, we will also build approximately 2,000 shelters, benches and waiting pads and upgrade the Charlotte Transportation Center and Charlotte Gateway Station.

CATS is committed to delivering the full Better Bus program within five years of implementation. Currently, we are preparing to launch five 15-minute bus routes in fall 2026, providing tangible results less than one year after voter approval.

Customer-centered mobility choices
However, access to opportunity and high-quality bus service are only part of the equation. As our region grows, its economic success increasingly depends on our ability to match transportation solutions to each community’s unique needs.

In some communities, traditional fixed-route bus service remains the most effective mobility solution. In others, neighborhood design, lack of sidewalks or dispersed development patterns call for different approaches.
To best serve the entire community, our 2055 Transit System Plan includes a major expansion of CATS Micro, our on-demand microtransit service. Under the Plan, we will introduce 19 new microtransit zones throughout Mecklenburg County, creating first- and last-mile connections that extend the reach of the broader transit network. Two of the microtransit zones will launch fall 2026, along with the aforementioned improvements to bus route frequency.
As the regional transit provider, it’s our responsibility to provide residents with the transportation option that best fits their needs while maintaining the reliability, accessibility and service quality they expect. By integrating bus, rail, streetcar and microtransit into a seamless mobility network, we can deliver a transportation experience that responds to individual preferences while connecting more people to opportunity.

Transparency and accountability
While we work to implement our vision, we must strive to earn the public’s trust every day. For that reason, transparency and accountability are core elements of our customer experience definition. The sale tax referendum’s narrow 52%-48% approval margin reminded us that public confidence cannot be taken for granted and must be reinforced through consistent delivery and open communication.

To that end, we are collaborating with community organizations, communications professionals and peer agencies to develop a comprehensive public outreach and transparency strategy. The program will include stakeholder engagement, progress reporting and communication tools to keep residents informed as projects advance.

By communicating openly and proactively, sharing progress and remaining accountable to the voters and communities we serve, we can enhance the public’s trust in CATS and in the investments shaping our region’s bright economic future.

Moving people forward
Residents can rest assured that as Mecklenburg County grows, their transit system will grow with it. Our success will be measured not only by the infrastructure we deliver, but by the opportunities we create and the trust we earn along the way. By broadening our definition of customer experience to include greater access to opportunity, high-quality service, customer-centered mobility choices, and transparency and accountability, we are recognizing the full value of the community’s generational investment in mobility. Together, we are building a transportation system that moves people forward.