The moment that brought the question back
A woman named Irina Zarutska was killed on the Blue Line on August 22. In the weeks since, City Council has asked a blunt question that riders have been asking for years: if your light rail was built as an open system without turnstiles, what does safety look like now?
CATS leaders say they have shifted to a transit-policing model, consolidated security under PSS with a budget near $18 million for the year, and are adding cameras, lighting, and coordination with CMPD. They also say this system cannot be “closed” the way some riders imagine. The Blue Line runs at street level, platforms blend into sidewalks and the rail trail, and the tracks cross roads. Fences would create new hazards, not fewer.
What CATS says it can do now
- Transit policing over post guarding. CATS combined security work under PSS and says the approach is patrol and response rather than people standing fixed posts. Authorizations sit at about 218 positions with about 186 staffed while training continues.
- Technology and eyes. More high-definition cameras, expanded coverage, and 24/7 monitoring were emphasized. CATS is also piloting AI that does better flagging guns than knives.
- Shared jurisdiction. A new mutual-aid framework with CMPD is meant to cover the rail trail, bus stops, and property edges where lines once blurred.
- Transit center upgrades. All four centers are slated for improvements that include security considerations, with the uptown center already in design review.
Council pushed for data that riders can see. CATS committed to provide incident trendlines, fare citation counts, operator safety feedback, and a station-by-station view of upgrades.
Fare checks are not a force field
CATS reminded Council that operators were told to stop gate-keeping fares because confrontations at the farebox had turned into assaults. Drivers drive, the agency says, and they now have two panic tools: a “Call 911” exterior sign and an open-microphone alert to dispatch. When words start to escalate on a bus, the instruction is to pull over where safe and hold the bus until the heat drops.
The plan for fares is a three-part rebuild:
- A policy that can include discounts based on need, not just age.
- Validation tech, including platform validators where feasible and handheld checks.
- Dedicated fare inspectors, separate from security patrols.
In Irina’s case, CATS said the suspect boarded without paying and did not show erratic behavior at the door. That matters because it undercuts the myth that turnstiles or a single spot check would guarantee prevention. It is a layer, not a lock.
Open platforms, real constraints
Council asked, again, if we could put turnstiles on the platforms. CATS answered that a few stations have room for partial gating, but most do not:
- Platforms sit flush with sidewalks and the rail trail, which raises ADA space issues if you try to wall them.
- The line is built at grade and crosses roads, so fences would shift trespass risk onto the tracks.
- Even at stations with space, turnstiles are not a full barrier. People would still board buses at curb stops, and fare-evasion routes would shift, not vanish.
That is the bind of an open system: safety work happens everywhere, not just at a gate.
The perception gap that drives policy
CATS presented rider surveys that show a divide: riders report feeling safer than non-riders think the system is. That disconnect lives alongside some hard facts:
- The network spans 675 square miles with 43 rail stations and 3,021 bus stops.
- Many stops lack shelters and benches, which Council tied to dignity and compliance.
- Patrols are growing, but staffing is still catching up.
Peeling that gap back will take what Council asked for on the record: visible data, visible patrols, visible upgrades.
What Council wants next
- Numbers, not nods. Fare citations, staffing levels for fare teams and security, and a timeline for platform validators.
- Operator safety on paper. Survey results and trendlines on assaults and threats since drivers stopped enforcing fares.
- Concrete upgrades. A schedule for shelters and lighting at bus stops and the plan for each transit center, especially uptown.
- Deeper partnerships on crisis. More behavioral-health support embedded with transit teams, with hospitals and universities at the table.
- Public clarity. Consider on-train announcements about fare rules and how to report problems, so everyone knows what is expected and how to get help.
Where riders fit in while the system stays open
You can expect more roving checks and more uniforms. You can also expect the system to remain open. That means safety rests on layers that work together: people, tech, design, and partnerships that catch what cameras and codes cannot.
The question Council is asking is simple: will those layers be thick enough, visible enough, and measured enough to earn riders’ trust on a system that was built to be part of the street.
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This article, “Charlotte’s Open-System Dilemma: Can Light Rail Feel Safe Without Turnstiles?,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Charlotte’s Open-System Dilemma: Can Light Rail Feel Safe Without Turnstiles?”
by Jack Beckett, The Charlotte Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)