Feb. 20. By Dave Vieser. The Charlotte Area Transit System will launch microtransit in North Mecklenburg with a ceremony at the Cornelius Park and Ride lot on Sefton Park Frriday afternoon.
Microtransit is an on-demand, shared-ride service that takes passengers where they need to go, for the same $2.20 one way fare as a local bus trip.CATS Microtransit operates point-to-point within a designated zone and will initially serve Cornelius, as well as Davidson and Huntersville. 
How does microtransit work?
“On-demand trips” mean a passenger can access service when needed, within the service hours. The wait time is intended to be no more than 30 minutes from the time of reservation to the time of pickup from a requested location within the service zone, although traffic delays may impact these times.
All CATS Micro trips must be scheduled through the CATS-Pass app or arranged by calling the CATS Customer Service at 704-336-7433 on the day of service. Customers will not be able to hail a CATS Micro vehicle from the curb.
When will microtransit operate?
—Weekdays 6am to 7 pm
—Weekends 7am to 7 pm
Will CATS Buses still operate?
The popular express buses which operate between North Meck and Charlotte will continue to operate.
However, local buses, such as the Village Rider route #97 will be phased out in favor of microtransit.
I hope residents that have long complained about wait times and length of time on the Village Rider will embrace this pilot program. If successful, the potential for expanding the travel zones will be a great asset for us all.
Posted by Rusty Knox | February 20, 2025, 1:42 pm