In the wake of Iryna Zarutska's murder on August 22, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is launching an investigation of North Carolina's Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS).

According to a USDOT release, the investigation will review the transit agency's security spending, safety plans, and ongoing risks to operators and customers being assaulted on the system.

"[USDOT is] investigating CATS and other transit agencies to determine whether they are taking the necessary actions to keep riders and transit workers safe," Secretary Duffy said.

FTA has jurisdiction over transit worker safety and argues that conditions must be evaluated to guarantee similar incidents do not endanger transit workers or commuters in the future. 

This investigation is intended to determine whether conditions exist that endanger transit workers and customers by assessing the agency's compliance with 49 CFR Part 673, Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans program, and the sufficiency of the agency's responses to FTA's directives and correspondence implemented to mitigate the safety risks associated with assaults on transit workers. 

FTA Calls for Transparent Safety Plan from CATS

In a letter to Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro emphasizes that collaboration between the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and CATS fully relies on both entities doing their part to ensure the safety and security of transportation systems for commuters and transit workers.

Molinaro also calls on CATS to develop a transparent and measurable plan to "secure" Charlotte's buses, trains, and stations. 

In a separate letter to Interim Chief Executive Officer Brent Cagle, the FTA informs CATS that the federal agency will launch an investigation to address the ongoing risk of operators and customers being assaulted on the system.

FTA notes that the rate of assault on transit workers at CATS has jumped to five times the national average in 2025 after being below the national average for the last two years. That is a change from one major assault on a transit vehicle in 2024 to six in 2025 so far.

FTA is providing CATS 15 days to provide details on its actions and funding to reduce crime and fare evasion, including current trends and past efforts. Specifically, CATS must outline FY2025 budgeted and FY2026 planned security and safety funds, compare them to prior years, and report on expenditures that meet federal safety and security set-aside requirements, along with any non-FTA federal funds (such as DHS) directed toward passenger and worker protection.

Additionally, FTA will conduct:

• An assessment of the CATS Safety Risk Reduction Program related to assaults on transit workers.

• An evaluation of the effectiveness of the mitigations identified and implemented by CATS in response to General Directive 24-1: Required Actions Regarding Assaults on Transit Workers, issued by FTA on September 25, 2024.