CHARLOTTE — About half of the people riding the light rail and buses in Charlotte are not paying for their rides, according to Brent Cagle, interim CEO for the Charlotte Area Transit System.
He told the Charlotte City Council Monday night that the fare-evasion rate is estimated to be at 50%.
Wow- this stat surprised me. Under questioning by Councilman @jd4clt, Interim CATS CEO said the current fare evasion rate for bus and light rail is 50%. Fare evasion is worse on the light rail than bus. He says the city is losing an average of 3-5 million in fares each year…
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 13, 2026
As a result, CATS is missing out on $3 to $5 million of revenue each year.
VIDEO: CATS could use AI to track banned riders after safety improvements
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