CHARLOTTE, N.C. — John Lewis, the current leader of the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), will leave his post at the end of November.
Charlotte's city manager Marcus Jones made the announcement in a virtual news briefing Thursday. Jones said Lewis is leaving to take another job.
The change in transportation leadership comes after months of staffing issues, reduced transit service, and concerns from CATS employees about the risk of violence they face while on the job.
City councilman Tariq Bokhari told WCNC Charlotte that he wishes Lewis the best in his new endeavor, but he is "overjoyed" at the news.
"This needed to happen and was a long time coming,” Bokhari said.
Lewis' last day is Nov. 30. He will be taking a job outside of the city of Charlotte, according to Jones.
Jones said a nationwide search would soon begin with coordination from a firm dedicated to finding a new executive for CATS. In the interim, assistant city manager Brent Cagle will assume leadership.
Bokhari is hopeful the next permanent leader will be accountable and ready to fix issues at the agency. He said making the right pick, "will be the legacy we leave for the next 30 years in Charlotte.”
Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera told WCNC Charlotte the city's commitment to mobility is not changing although leadership is. She hopes the next CATS CEO is dedicated and passionate about transportation.
Lewis was not present during the virtual briefing. Jones said further questions could be directed to Lewis at a later time.
Cagle's credentials for working in transportation were touted during the briefing.
In 2012, he took leadership of Charlotte Douglas International Airport as the city's aviation director. He would become the airport's CEO the following year.
Prior to working in Charlotte, his official city government biography notes he worked as the chief financial officer of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Issues facing CATS
Lewis' departure comes amidst -- what Jones described as -- a season of change: a new transit hub in Uptown is already in the design phase and CATS recently launched a microtransit pilot program, which promised connections between transit lines and final destinations.
CATS has faced several challenges over the last few months. During an interview on Flashpoint with WCNC Charlotte anchor Ben Thompson in September, Lewis described a staffing slump as "a roller-coaster ride", but said he was proud of employees.
Service was reduced by about 20% in August due to staffing issues.
Jones said he, Lewis, and Cagle have been developing plans for months to address the needed improvements across the board. This existing coordination should help the transition of leadership over the next few weeks, Lewis said.
Cagle will need to tackle an ongoing threat of violence against transit operators. Bus driver Ethan Rivera was killed during an apparent road rage incident in February 2022. In May, a CATS bus was shot into while a driver was still on board.
And earlier this week, another bus was hit by a bullet after the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the suspect exited the bus. This time, a passenger was bruised by the bullet's impact.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.