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

CATS RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING SAFETY RECORD

Charlotte, N.C., June 6, 2008 - For its continued commitment to providing safe transportation services throughout the community, the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) was recently awarded the 2007 Safety Award for urban fixed routes that travel more than one million miles a year from the North Carolina Public Transportation Association (NCPTA).  This award is presented for outstanding performance in traffic and passenger safety among North Carolina public transportation systems.
 
CATS Bus Operations was recognized for its exceptionally low safety record of 0.60 total preventable accidents per 100,000 miles throughout 2007.  CATS was able to achieve this number as it traveled a record 12.3 million miles and transported more than 19 million riders.  The low safety record CATS had in 2007 is part of an ongoing trend CATS has experienced over the past several years as the total preventable accident rate per 100,000 has decreased from 0.72 in 2000 to 0.44 today.  

"As the largest transit system in the state, we operate 4,800 bus trips each weekday across seven counties and each year we carry more passengers and travel more miles,"  said Marvin Bohon, CATS' Manager of Bus Safety.  "That's a lot of responsibility and the fact that our safety record remains so low is a testament to our commitment of providing safe and reliable services for the Charlotte region."
 
Before operators can sit behind the wheel of a CATS vehicle, they must undergo an intense five-week training program that lays the foundation for what they need to do while operating vehicles.  This training includes education on CATS' policies and procedures, as well as the dos and don'ts of the road. 

Once operators successfully pass that portion, they are then trained on the Smith System, which teaches them collision prevention through hands-on training that helps them see, think and react to driving challenges.  Operators are also trained on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which teaches them how to assist customers living with disabilities, followed by two weeks of road training with an experienced CATS operator.  In addition to the training that operators receive when they first start at CATS, they also undergo refresher training throughout the year to keep their driving and customer service skills sharp.
 
"We put a lot of emphasis on training to prepare our operators to handle a variety of situations on the road," said Bohon.  "Our drivers know the importance of safety and the training we do year-round is paying off with a continued reduction in our safety record."

To learn more about CATS and its services, log on to www.ridetransit.org or call 704-336-RIDE.