When developing the 2030 Transit Corridor System Plan, CATS used the following criteria to reach a consensus on the services that best fit each corridor.

Land Use
In a comprehensive study of the country's transit systems, the City found that the key to success lies in the integration of transit and land development. CATS' plan actively encourages transit use by fostering development along transit lines. Known as transit oriented developments (TODs), these unique communities can sustain growth and vitality within close proximity to transit stations, while contributing to the enrichment of the Center City and key activity centers.

Environment
Public transportation helps minimize air and noise pollution by lowering the number of vehicles on the road and fostering development patterns that produce fewer and shorter trips. By introducing public transportation to areas of high congestion, we reduce the source of environmental contaminants as well as the negative effect of pollution on communities, natural areas and cultural resources.

System Integration
Each corridor is part of a larger system, making it vital to judge each new rapid transit corridor solution based on its ability to operate within the entire system. The system should include considerations of passenger distribution within Center City Charlotte, provision of through-service between corridors of the region, and balanced use of system capacity.

Mobility
Mobility has several components. One is ridership, including how many people will ride and how many new transit trips are attracted away from automobiles. Mobility also includes serving a variety of travel markets by improving accessibility to selected areas, providing savings in travel times and enhancing service reliability.

Financial
The level of investment to build, operate and maintain the system should be balanced by the capacity of local sales tax revenue, and federal, state, private and other revenue sources. Since appropriations can be limited and many federal and state revenue sources are grants, we must take into consideration the ability of certain improvements to attract those grants, and examine opportunities to leverage CATS investment with other revenues.