New security measures are coming to North Carolina's Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), aiming to enhance safety and increase accessibility for CATS contracted security officers by using new security tools.

Through expanded staff safety training, Professional Security Services (PSS) officers will utilize bike and utility terrain vehicle (UTV) patrols along the Blue Line.

"Safety is the foundation of everything we do as a city," Mayor Vi Lyles said. "By working together across departments and with our community, we are committed to implementing these new measures to ensure Charlotte remains a safe and thriving place for all."

CATS is continuing to increase security in high-traffic areas and on transit vehicles. PSS officers will continue to coordinate with local police and other city departments to ensure the safety of passengers and employees.

CATS Expands Security with Bike and UTV Patrols

"The addition of bike and UTV patrols is a critical step in our mission to increase safety and reliability in our transit system," CATS Interim CEO Brent Cagle said. "We believe these patrols will not only increase visibility, but also foster a greater sense of security for our riders."

During a recent press conference, Cagle noted that PSS is continuing to increase staffing, with transit personnel now at approximately 200, including over 40 armed personnel. All personnel are "backed up and supported" by 24 full-time equivalent hours of off-duty Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department officers.

To enhance transit security and implement additional public safety measures, City Manager Marcus Jones stated during the conference, the city has increased the starting salary for police by 34% and the top-out salary by 41% since 2019, while also providing more funding for second and third shifts.

Additionally, positions such as crash investigators and sworn vacant positions have been converted to civilian roles, allowing police officers to dedicate more time to patrol duties.

According to an agency release, the use of UTVs and bike patrols expands coverage, enhances fare evasion checks, improves response times in emergencies, and increases visible security presence systemwide. Over the last month, PSS officers completed specialized training in preparation for the rollout.

Charlotte Officials Weigh Turnstiles to Curb Fare Evasion

A significant issue for Charlotte's light rail fare evasion is the use of turnstiles, which can slightly alter the cycles for certain lines and potentially cause delays.

"Fare evasion is often a symptom of different challenges," Mayor Lyles said. "We can't ignore that, so we will have to work out how best to do it. In outreach and education and policies that meet people where they are, we believe that we can have a system that is safe."

"We're roughly on an eight to 10 minute cycle right now on the blue line. The turnstiles potentially will slow that system down, if it slows it down in the event, and because of safety, I think that's a good thing," said Davidson Mayor Rusty Knox during the press conference.

However, Knox and Cagle explained that light rails nationwide, like the Blue Line, are an open system for a reason: convenience. Cagle noted that even closed systems, such as subways that use turnstiles, experience fare evasion, so CATS is looking to explore multiple methods to mitigate fare evasion, including validation tools and personnel-based enforcement.

"Buses are the backbone of every transit system," Cagle said. "And just like light rail, buses need to be safe. Passengers need to feel safe when they're riding buses. And so again, these measures aren't just about the Blue Line or the rail, it's about buses as well."