Recently, the Metropolitan Transit Commission, the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority, and the Charlotte City Council authorized the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) to implement its Fare Modernization and Fare Ambassadors programs.

According to an agency release, these planned fare system improvements will allow CATS to modernize, simplify, and grow ridership while ensuring a “convenient and secure transit experience for every transit customer.”

Fare modernization will introduce new ways to pay for a ride. New electronic ticket validators will be added to light rail platforms and onboard buses and streetcars, allowing CATS to monitor ridership trends for service planning and manage fare compliance.

Fare modernization will simplify the fare payment process for riders by expanding available CATS fare capping and consolidating several existing fare products into a single pay-as-you-go system. Riders will automatically receive daily, weekly, and monthly fare caps rather than having to determine which product or pass best meets their service needs. Pay-as-you-go is marketed as a flexible way for riders to receive the benefits of unlimited daily, weekly, or monthly passes through fare capping, without purchasing in advance.

Additional benefits of the fare modernization program include:

• Online account management to load value, check balance, view account history, and track progress towards fare caps.
• Free transfers within a two-hour window for fares paid with the CATS-Pass app, contactless credit/debit card, or smart card.
• Simplification of fare structure through reduction of the number of fare media and products.
• Expanded network of locations to purchase fare products and reload funds to registered accounts across the entire CATS service area.
• Expansion of reduced-fare eligibility and simplification of the approval process.

CATS’ new fare ambassadors program, which launches later this Fall in partnership with Block by Block, will introduce a team of trained individuals tasked with conducting fare inspections, providing rider education and focusing on ways to reduce fare evasion.  

"These improvements make riding CATS simpler, more convenient and more customer-focused,” said Elizabeth Presutti, chief administration officer at CATS. “Fare modernization and fare ambassadors will help us enhance the customer experience, ensuring all members of our community have a way to ride while supporting future system growth.”

CATS expects the implementation of both programs to take 12 to 18 months. Additional fare modernization information is available on the program’s website.