Metropolitan Transit Commission
Coverage (14 articles)
Transit Authority Clears Last State Requirement to Run CATS
On June 24 the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority closed out the last of the twelve requirements North Carolina set before it can run Charlotte's buses and trains, and voted to send the proof to Raleigh. The takeover itself splits in two: control on July 1, operations, employees and computers on January 1, 2027.
Transit Board Says Goodbye to Brent Cagle, Who Steadied CATS
At the MTC's final meeting, members praised interim CATS CEO Brent Cagle for steadying an agency in crisis since he arrived in December 2022. The tributes land as the MPTA's national search for a permanent CEO, a job Cagle is eligible to pursue, runs in parallel.
Outgoing Charlotte Transit Board Approves New Fare System
The Metropolitan Transit Commission's final vote adopted the CATS Fare Modernization Program, tap-and-go payments, electronic validation, a new streetcar fare, and expanded reduced fares, phased in over 2027-2028. A cash-rider equity question raised repeatedly in public comment went unresolved on the record.
Transit Commission Holds Final Meeting, Hands CATS to MPTA
The Metropolitan Transit Commission held its final meeting May 27 after 27 years, adopting an amended CATS fare policy and formally handing operational control to the new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority. The MPTA takes over July 1, the same day the one-cent PAVE Act transit tax takes effect.
Charlotte Transit's 27-Year Build, in One Timeline
Charlotte went from a bus-only city to a rail-connected region to an independent transit authority in 27 years. A companion to the Mercury's coverage of the MTC's dissolution, laid out as a single annotated timeline.
Vi Lyles to Resign June 30; Race to Replace Her Has Started
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles announced Thursday that she will resign on June 30, ending a tenure that began in 2017. Under North Carolina law, the City Council will appoint a Democrat to serve the remainder of her term, and the field is already organizing in public, with former Mayor Jennifer Roberts offering to fill the vacancy and Council Member Dante Anderson breaking for the outsider option. The vote that decides who fills the seat has not been scheduled.
MTC Closes CATS Fare Plan Comment, Cash-Rider Question Open
At the final public hearing on the Charlotte Area Transit System's Fare Modernization Program, public commenter Carson Cohn told the MTC that CATS had promised him an answer over a month ago on whether the new system would force cash riders to pay double for transfer trips, and had not delivered it. CATS staff anticipate requesting MTC adoption at the May 27 meeting, the body's last before the new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority assumes operational control on July 1. The proposal eliminates paper transfers for cash riders while introducing fare capping, a two-hour electronic pass, and an expanded reduced-fare program.
What Happened to CATS? Charlotte Transit's Move to the MPTA
By July 1, 2026, CATS as a City of Charlotte department will cease to exist, absorbed into the new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority. Here's how Charlotte's transit system went from city department to regional authority, and what it means.
How Charlotte's Transit Tax Works and Who Controls the Money
Mecklenburg County voters approved a one-cent sales tax increase in November 2025. The PAVE Act splits the revenue 40/40/20 between roads, rail, and bus service, generating roughly $490 million annually. Here is how the money works and who controls it.
What Is the MPTA? Charlotte's Transit Authority, Explained
The Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) is Charlotte's new regional transit authority, created after voters approved a one-cent transportation sales tax in November 2025. It assumes control of CATS on July 1, 2026, at the center of a $19.4 billion, 30-year transportation plan.
How Transit Leaders Botched Blue Line Crisis Response
Charlotte's transit leaders turned a tragedy into a communications disaster. Here's the crisis management playbook they ignored, and what they should have said instead.
Charlotte Civic Calendar: Political Events, Oct. 3–13, 2025
Charlotte's next 10 days decide zoning, preservation, transit, and ballot logistics. Here's what to watch, how to attend, and why it matters.
Charlotte's 1% Transit Tax: Cost, Control, Candidate Stances
The 1% transit sales tax would fund roads, rail, and buses through a new regional authority with strict gates on the Red Line. Here's how it works, who controls it and where candidates stand.
Mecklenburg's 1% Transportation Sales Tax: What It Means
Charlotte's 1% transportation sales tax could raise $19B, fund roads and rail, dissolve the MTC, and put the Red Line first. What it means for you.