IMMEDIATE RELEASE                      
Contact:  Jean Leier (704) 432-0496

CATS EXCEEDS NATIONAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RIDERSHIP

Charlotte, N.C., January 10, 2007 - During the first nine months of 2006, ridership aboard the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) increased 5.1 percent, two percentage points ahead of the national trend.  The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced that public transportation ridership increased by nearly three percent in the first nine months of 2006, as Americans took 7.8 billion trips on public transit.

CATS saw the greatest increase, 30.6 percent, on their regional express buses that provide transportation service from the six counties surrounding Mecklenburg.  "Even with gas prices declining somewhat, the express riders who have the choice whether to driver or take CATS, made the decision to keep riding the bus to enjoy cost savings and less stress," said Ron Tober, CATS CEO. 

CATS vanpool service increased 20 percent during the first nine months of 2006 and community circulators carried 14 percent more passengers during this same time period.

Since the passage of the half-cent sales tax, CATS has invested in enhancing and expanding bus services, neighborhood shuttles, vanpools and service for the disabled community and enhancing customer service amenities like bus shelters, new bus stop signs and new vehicles.  Customers have responded to these investments with ridership increasing on average 6 percent each year since 1998.

As CATS prepares to open the LYNX Blue Line in 2007, Charlotte's first-ever rapid transit line, there's good news nationally on light rail ridership.  Light rail (streetcars, trolleys, heritage trolleys, and modern light rail) had the highest percentage of growth among all modes of transportation with an increase of 5.4 percent. 

The areas reporting double digit increases in light rail ridership were:  Salt Lake City, UT (23.3%); Minneapolis, MN (22.6%); New Jersey (16.3%); Philadelphia, PA (11.9%); and Sacramento, CA (10.0%). Light rail ridership almost achieving double digit increases included Buffalo, NY (9.2%) and Houston, TX (9.0%).

To learn more about CATS and its services, call 704-336-RIDE or visit us on the web at www.ridetransit.org.