Current Status
The Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) was established in December 2025 and is preparing to assume operational control of CATS on July 1, 2026. The 27-member board, chaired by David L. Howard, is implementing the 2055 Transit System Plan — a $19.4 billion, 30-year investment in bus, rail, and microtransit across Mecklenburg County. FY27 budget public hearing scheduled for May 13; board approval June 10.
Timeline
Mar 11, 2026
Business Meeting: Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy adopted unanimously. All foundational governance documents now complete. Interim CEO Brent Kaggel reported South Station cost at ~$35M ($25M station + $10M track crossover). City Council approved $35M Red Line design contract to 30%. FTA grant application submitted for $30M. FTA audit draft responses under review. T. Anthony Lindsey raised community concern about “Red Line” name evoking “redlining.”
Mar 6, 2026
Strategy Session: No auto-captions generated; transcript pending.
Mar 4, 2026
Bylaws Ad Hoc Committee: Fourth committee session.
Feb 24, 2026
Bylaws Ad Hoc Committee: Third committee session.
Feb 20, 2026
Workshop #1: Full board orientation on the 2055 Transit System Plan. Presentations on Red Line ($1.26B, 2026 estimate), Silver Line MOS ($3.3B) and full project ($6.9B), Better Bus program, microtransit expansion. Financial overview: ~$165M annual tax revenue, $223M fund balance, $130M recommended reserve. PAVE Act value engineering underway. Budget timeline through July 1 transition. Staff directed to develop employment impact estimates for bus expansion.
Feb 17, 2026
Bylaws Ad Hoc Committee: Second committee session.
Feb 11, 2026
Business Meeting: Second regular business meeting.
Jan 30, 2026
Bylaws Ad Hoc Committee: First committee session. Bylaws development underway.
Jan 9, 2026
Business Meeting: First regular business meeting. Multi-jurisdiction board introduction.
Jan 7, 2026
Special Meeting: Early organizational session.
Dec 18, 2025
Inaugural Meeting: 27 trustees sworn in by Mayor Vi Lyles. David L. Howard elected chair by acclamation. Frank Emory elected vice chair. Christy Long elected secretary (14–13 over Reverend Corine Mack). Ned Curran elected treasurer. Robert’s Rules adopted. Parker Poe consultants presented feasibility study: asset transfer from CATS to MPTA “feasible and advisable,” but existing CATS debt cannot transfer.
Nov 2025
Referendum: Mecklenburg County voters approve half-cent transit sales tax under the PAVE Act. Margin: ~7,800 votes. Projected $19.4 billion impact over 30 years.
Key Players
David L. HowardMPTA Board Chair · City of Charlotte
Frank EmoryMPTA Vice Chair · City of Charlotte
Brent KaggelInterim CEO, CATS
Kelly GoforthChief Development Officer · PAVE Act lead
Chad HowChief Financial Officer
Danté AndersonCharlotte City Council · Gateway Station champion
Malcolm GrahamCharlotte City Council · Gateway Station
What’s Next
April 8, 2026 — MPTA business meeting (estimated). Watch for budget discussion and project updates.
May 13, 2026 — FY27 budget public hearing. First opportunity for public input on MPTA’s spending plan.
June 10, 2026 — FY27 budget approval. Sets funding for first year of MPTA operational control.
July 1, 2026 — MPTA assumes operational control of CATS. Budget effective date. Historic governance transition.
FTA audit response — Federal Transit Administration has 30 days to accept or comment on CATS corrective action plan. May impose timelines affecting project eligibility.
Red Line naming decision — Board will be asked to weigh in on whether to rename the commuter rail service after community concerns about “redlining” connotation.
Background
The Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) is the most significant new government entity in Charlotte in decades. Created after Mecklenburg County voters narrowly approved a half-cent transit sales tax in November 2025, MPTA is responsible for implementing the 2055 Transit System Plan — a 30-year, $19.4 billion investment in bus, rail, and microtransit expansion across the county.
The authority’s 27-member board includes representatives from the City of Charlotte (14 seats), Mecklenburg County (6 seats), six surrounding towns (1 seat each), the NC General Assembly (2 seats), and the Governor (1 seat). This multi-jurisdictional structure reflects the regional scope of the transit system — and the political complexity of governing it.
Major projects under MPTA oversight include the Red Line commuter rail to Lake Norman ($1.26 billion), the Silver Line light rail extension ($3.3–$6.9 billion), Gateway Station multimodal hub ($89 million), a countywide bus network redesign, and microtransit expansion. The authority can now issue revenue bonds backed by transit tax revenue under the PAVE Act, expanding its financing options beyond the certificates of participation previously available to CATS.
The Charlotte Mercury covers MPTA from verified primary source transcripts. For the full board roster, meeting schedule, and FAQ, see the MPTA hub page.
Mercury Coverage
Tracker update log: Created March 28, 2026. Timeline covers November 2025 referendum through March 2026 business meeting. Updated after each MPTA meeting or major transit development.