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

CATS' SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICE RECEIVES NEW BUSES

Charlotte, N.C., August 7, 2008 - It's out with the old and in with the new as the Charlotte Area Transit System's (CATS) Special Transportation Service (STS) upgrades its fleet with 24 new minibuses.  The new minibuses will replace 24 older vehicles in STS'  85-vehicle fleet.  Fifteen of the new buses have already arrived and are being prepared for service.  STS anticipates that all 24 replacement buses will be in service by Labor Day. 
 
"We are pleased to receive these new minibuses because as STS continues to grow, they will help us become more efficient by requiring less maintenance and offering better fuel mileage than the older vehicles in our fleet," said Pete Wallace, CATS'  STS General Manager. 

STS plans to order an additional 23 minibuses in August and anticipates them to arrive by late 2008.  These additional vehicles should be in service by January 1, 2009.  The new vehicles were originally ordered last August, but were put on hold due to the transit tax repeal referendum on last November's ballot.  After the transit tax was upheld by voters, CATS proceeded with the minibus order. 

STS provided 234,393 rides and traveled 2.7 million miles during FY08; resulting in a 2.8 percent ridership increase over the previous year.  STS has provided door-to-door public transportation service since 1981 to people with disabilities that are unable to board or negotiate local CATS bus routes and the LYNX Blue Line.
 
For more information about CATS and its services, visit www.ridetransit.org or call 704-336-RIDE.