CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte was just named one of the worst cities for public transportation. A survey by Clever Real Estate gave the Queen City a score of 27 out of 100 when it comes to public transit -- that's an F grade.
Charlotte’s ranking showed the city has some work to do when it comes to improving public transportation.
“We have had massive problems with our bus system, our CATS overall organization,” Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari said. “We have been stuck in a two- to three-decade-old paralysis around light rails and we are ignoring our roads, so I'm not surprised by that.”
Some riders also aren’t surprised, saying they can't always count on a ride.
“If there were more bus drivers then I feel like there would be buses out running,” Kevin, a rider, said.
“They need to be more on schedule,” Jay, another rider, said. “Instead of having people waiting all day for the bus and they need to update their app.”
One of the factors contributing to the low score is that only 1.3% of workers commute using public transit.
Charlotte City Councilman Ed Driggs said the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people travel.
“It is a different world right now,” Driggs said. “A lot of people work from home. A lot of millennials prefer public transit and generally, they don’t want to own cars, and part of our challenges is to develop a plan to respond to those circumstances.”
Bokhari said there are several factors to consider in improving service and attracting riders.
“Reliability, is it going to show up? We have had some big problems there,” Bokhari said. “Efficiency, is it going to get me there in a meaningful amount of time… the cost, what does it cost me compared to another mode of transportation? Then something that gets overlooked, safety.”
Driggs said there are plans in place to change the public transportation network to make it more efficient.
“We have 'Envision my Ride,' which is a plan for the buses that will change the bus routes… decentralize them," Driggs said. "It will offer more connectivity in order to respond to the situation we are in today.”
Improving the transportation system is a big priority for some city leaders -- especially as the region continues to grow.
Driggs is also the chairman of the Transportation, Planning, and Development Committee.
“We have a big plan right now, the mobility plan as part of the connect beyond regional plan,” Driggs explained. “That will bring in new solutions to mobility, rail, roads, greenways, sidewalks and bike paths but we need to act on it.”
It will take some patience.
“Some of these rail projects take years to complete but I think 10 years down the line you will see,” Driggs said. “You will have much better roads, you will see some of the rail projects and you will a more efficient bus system."
Bokhari said it is time to relook at the transportation system plan and only move forward with what makes sense.
“One that is a no-brainer is the Red Line… not that I'm a huge believer in the rail line but promises were made to the northern towns and were broken and we need to make good on that,” Bokhari said. “Then the Silver Line... maybe it be just a Silver Line west that just goes to the airport because this makes some fundamental sense for our great asset the airport and our great asset our business community.”
There is good news, though. The city got high marks for those who drive themselves.
Most people in Charlotte get around by car and the study shows they do so well. That’s what helped the city get a higher commuting score in general.
In Charlotte, 83% of workers commute by car. On average, they spend about $800 on gas each year and drive less than 30 minutes to work. Additionally, only about 11% of major roads are considered in poor condition.
Bokhari said the primary focus should be on incorporating technology into our infrastructure.
“Let's put aside the old plans that we have been putting a fresh coat of paint every last five years and calling it something else,” Bokhari said. “Right now, I would tell everyone let's focus on our roads with 5G and autonomous vehicles. We had crews piloting autonomous vehicles in our city last month, this is not science fiction. It is happening today.”
One thing that is important to both city leaders WCNC Charlotte spoke with is to have a mixture of mobility options.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.