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

LYNX BLUE LINE RIDERSHIP OFF TO A STRONG START

Charlotte, N.C., November 28, 2007-The first two days of LYNX Blue Line ridership started strong with 6,691 commuters using the service on Monday and ridership of 8,029 for Tuesday.  “We are on our way to meeting and perhaps exceeding our projection of an average of 9,100 daily riders over the first year of light rail operations,” said Ron Tober, CATS’ Chief Executive Officer. 

CATS opened the LYNX Blue Line this past weekend and experienced an outstanding start to light rail service in the South Corridor. The free introductory service on Saturday and Sunday brought out 106,000 riders.  The Saturday and Sunday numbers are estimates based upon sample counts made manually along the LYNX Blue Line. Staff estimates that between 1,200 and 1,500 people rode LYNX to and from the Bobcats – Celtics game Saturday evening and between 4,000 and 5,000 people rode light rail to and from the Panthers game on Sunday.
 
The Monday and Tuesday numbers are actual manual counts made from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with estimates of evening ridership based upon observations added to the total.
 
Ridership for the LYNX Blue Line will be reported on a monthly basis along with regular CATS’ ridership report.

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

With 63,000 daily commuters, expanded services, improved bus shelters, new transit centers and services for the disabled, transit is attracting more and more people to get out of their cars and ride CATS. These are just a few of the ways CATS keeps the whole Charlotte region moving forward.  For more information on commuting choices, visit ridetransit.org.