October 15, 2008      

Select BI-LO Supermarkets to sell CATS passes

Customer requests result in convenient service 

Charlotte, NC – Charlotte transit riders now have an added convenience in purchasing their Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) passes.  Ten Charlotte BI-LO supermarkets will offer a variety of transit passes at their Customer Service Counters.

In a survey conducted by CATS, 47 percent of customers rated grocery stores as their preferred location to purchase their transit pass.  In fact, BI-LO was among the top three of preferred grocery stores used by CATS customers.

Most BI-LO stores will be offering weekly and monthly passes.  The type of passes offered is based upon the type of transit service available in each area."

"CATS passes will be available in these stores because our customers are interested in a more convenient way to purchase them.  We're all feeling the pinch of higher gas prices so anything BI-LO can do to help our customers save money and also have fewer vehicles on the road using gasoline is a win-win.," said Sam Blaiss, BI-LO's regional vice president responsible for the Charlotte stores. 

Cost for the Weekly Pass on CATS is $15 and local monthly passes are $60 and express monthly passes are $80.  For a complete list of pass types available visit the CATS website at www.ridetransit.org.

Participating BI-LO supermarkets are:

8120 S. Tryon Street     

6320 Albermarle Road

9108 Lawyers Road          

9101 Pineville-Matthews Road

4430 The Plaza        

1620 Ashley Road

525 Little Rock Road

7323 Independence

2226 Park Road 

8620 Camfield Street

For further information on CATS, call 704-336-RIDE or visit www.ridetransit.org.

BI-LO, headquartered in Mauldin, SC, operates 225 supermarkets in the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee and employs 17,000.  Through BI-LO's sponsorship of the BI-LO Charity Classic, Charlotte area charities received over $156,000 last year.