CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Area Transit System will restart three express bus routes next week. The routes were discontinued during the pandemic.
CATS goal is to get you from destination A to destination B, but lately, that hasn't always been the case.
“Before the pandemic, everything was always on schedule and working swimmingly, but during the pandemic and even the present day, things have shifted," rider Michael Davis said.
CATS had to reduce bus routes by 20% due to a lack of bus drivers and several violent incidents, including one that killed a driver.
“Over the last five years, I've personally seen a lot of things that have concerned me about CATS," District 6 Charlotte City Council Member, Tariq Bokhari said. "It's great in a lot of ways but there are a lot of issues."
Now, there's momentum to recover and increase ridership.
On Monday, Nov. 28, CATS will reinstate the Steele Creek Express, the Arboretum/Waverly Express, and the Mountain Island Express. All will have three trips in the morning and three trips during the evening.
The three express routes mainly serve commuters going into Uptown.
There are some slight modifications to some of the express routes.
For the Steele Creek Express, the 41x is adding service to Carolinas Medical Center Steelecroft, the Walker Branch Park and Ride at the Rivergate shopping center and the Steele Creek Presbyterian Church Park and Ride.
The same route will discontinue service to Whitehall Commons Park and Ride along South Tryon Street between Interstate 485 and Woodlawn Road.
For the Mountain Express, the 88x is adding the Coulwood Shopping Center Park and Ride, Cooks Memorial Presbyterian Church Park and Ride; and the new Riverbend Village Park and Ride, located behind the Dunkin' along Mt. Holly Huntersville Road.
The same route will discontinue service to the Callabridge Walmart.
This comes as John Lewis, the CEO of CATS, gets ready to serve his last day at the end of November. Lewis said he has another job in the private sector.
Charlotte's Assistant City Manager Brent Cagle will be the interim CEO as the city searches nationwide for the right leader to expand and improve transit.
Lewis' last day is Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.