IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                        Contact: Jean Leier (704) 432-0496 
        
GET TO THE AIRPORT IN HALF THE TIME CATS rolls out service changes for February

Charlotte, N.C., January 22, 2007 - Beginning February 5 the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) will make major changes to Route 5 Airport, giving travelers and workers an easier and faster way to get to and from Charlotte Douglas International Airport.  Route 5 will no longer operate on West Boulevard, but instead will offer inbound and outbound trips via Wilkinson Boulevard and Morehead Street to give customers a more direct route to the airport.  Service frequency will also be improved during rush hour to every 30 minutes instead of every hour.  

"We're making these changes to our airport route because we understand when people are traveling out of town, especially for business, it can be stressful and we want to eliminate that stress," said Jim Zingale, CATS' Chief Operating Officer.  "With our improved route, travelers don't have to worry about airport traffic or the costs of parking their cars while they're out of town.  And most importantly, they don't have to go through the hassle of getting someone to drop them off and pick them up at the airport.  All they have to do is hop on our service to get to the airport quickly and conveniently."

CATS will also make several service changes to other routes on February 5 to better serve customers throughout the Charlotte region. 

Route 232 Grier Heights and Route 220 Windsor Park are combining to form the new Route 232 Grier Heights. 

The new route will originate at the Eastland Mall Community Transit Center and operate via Windsor Park to Eastway and follow Eastway/Wendover to Billingsley Road and out to the Grier Heights community.  Service will now operate every 30 minutes throughout the day and every hour at night.  The new combined route will also operate on both Saturday and Sunday.

Route 15 Randolph Road and Route 28 McAlway will be consolidated to form the new Route 15 Randolph Road.  The new Route 15 will no longer operate via the Stonehaven neighborhood, but instead will operate from Center City to Sharon Amity Road, with some trips continuing to the Sherwood Forest neighborhood.  It will also no longer operate on Seventh Street in the Elizabeth neighborhood, but will run from Sam Drenan Road by means of Randolph to Hawthorne Lane and continue to Center City via Elizabeth Avenue.  Headways will go to every 15 minutes instead of every half hour.

The 62X Rea Road Express will add a new park and ride lot to its route, located at St. Matthews Catholic Church on Ballantyne Commons Parkway and Rea Road.  The new park and ride will give commuters in the Rea Road area easier access to CATS services.  Minor schedule adjustments will occur as a result of the new park and ride.

Route 2 Ashley Park will now operate via Marlowe and Lumina Avenues to Ashley Road and Carlyle Drive for both inbound and outbound trips to better service customers in the Ashley Park area.  As a result of these changes trip times will be adjusted slightly. 

Due to construction associated with the development of the LYNX Blue Line, Pavilion B and bus bays C, D and E at the Charlotte Transportation Center (CTC) will close temporarily.  Bus routes will be reassigned within the CTC and at Bay V located on Brevard Street.  For a complete list of service changes and CATS services, visit www.ridetransit.org or call (704) 336-RIDE.