CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Area Transit Service (CATS) will hold several pop-up meetings at bus stops in the Charlotte metro this week to gather public feedback on its Better Bus initiative.
The goal of the project is to not only make rides safer but faster and more efficient. The pop-up meetings will be held in Charlotte, Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville. The Better Bus project has been six years in the making, with CATS implementing an overhaul of the bus system in 2018.
CATS received a grant from the Federal Transit Administration in 2022 and launched a new study to find ways it can improve the bus system even further. The Envision My Ride and Bus Priority study gathered recommendations for how to improve CATS’ mobility hubs, micro-transit, bus stops and corridor infrastructure.
"They need to be more on schedule instead of having people waiting all day," a rider named Jay told WCNC Charlotte in 2023.
Over the years, riders and Charlotte leaders have recognized the need for buses to be easier to use in everyday life.
"Reliability, is it going to show up? We've had some big problems there," City Councilman Tariq Bokhari said. "Efficiency, is it going to get me there in a meaningful amount of time where I might as well could have walked in that time or done something differently?"
Better Bus community meetings are on the following dates:
- Monday, July 15, 6 a.m. - 8 a.m. - Davidson Gateway Park and Ride (Davidson Gateway Dr. & Griffith St.)
- Tuesday, July 16, 6 a.m. - 8 a.m. - Huntersville Gateway Park and Ride (10300 Compass St.)
- Wednesday, July 17, 6 a.m. - 8 a.m. - Cornelius Park and Ride (20300 Sefton Park Rd.)
- Thursday, July 18, 6 a.m. - 8 a.m. - Huntersville Northcross Park and Ride (17126 Northcross Dr.)
- Thursday, July 18, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Charlotte Transportation Center (300 W Trade St.)
- Thursday, July 18. 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. - Charlotte Transportation Center (300 W Trade St.)
The Park and Ride meetings will meet riders where they’re at — on their morning bus ride — so CATS can draft up a formal plan, and if approved, make changes to the service next year.
Contact Destiny Richards at drichards5@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at WCNC Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.