Charlotte Leaders Hike CATS Fare Again! But Reduce Service In Some BLACK Neighborhoods!

Please note that what you have viewed on the video above is NOT the way Charlotte's Mass Transportation System functions Citywide.

Charlotte, NC like most Southern Cities is still 20 years behind Major Metropolitan Cities as it relates to the benefit Of Mass Public Transportation.
Especially Major Metropolitan Cities on the East Coast.
Charlotte City Leaders like other Southern City Leaders, believe ONLY Low Income Citizens use Public Transportation, thus they rarely invest in Improving that segment of Public Service.
Of course Nothing could be further from the Truth!
More than 85% Of New York City & New Jersey residents including Very Well-To-Do Citizens, frequently use Mass Public Transportation traveling to & from Work on a Daily basis.
In fact there are many, many New Yorkers who have NEVER possessed a Drivers' License due to the city's Very Efficient Public Transportation System. i.e., Amtrak, Subway, Buses, Ferry.
This includes thousands of Wall Street employees who live in Connecticut & Pennsylvania but prefer to travel via Public Transportation versus Driving hundreds of miles.
By providing Efficient means of Mass Public Transportation in BLACK, Latino & WHITE Communities, in return those East Coast Major Metropolitan Cities reap HUGE Revenue Profits Annually from the Passengers!
So it would be to the benefit of Charlotte's future to STOP Stereotyping the type of Passengers who utilize its Mass Public Transportation System & just invest in improving the entire Freaking System Citywide NOT just in Charlotte's WHITE Communities!
Thank You







Bus, rail fare hike sought

Still struggling with stagnant sales-tax revenue, the Charlotte Area Transit System is seeking a fare increase for bus and light rail - its fourth hike since 2008.

CATS is proposing to raise the one-way local fare for buses and trains to $2, up from $1.75.

The fare hike is expected to generate an additional $2.5 million in revenue. The transit system expects ridership to decline by 3 percent because of the hike.

CATS receives roughly half of its budget from the half-cent sales tax dedicated for transit. But since the 2008 recession began, tax revenues have plummeted.

Olaf Kinard, CATS director of marketing and communications, said the sales tax is stuck at 2005 levels.

"We have reduced over $23 million in expenses," Kinard said. "But you run against the sales tax. We don't know yet what will truly happen."

In 1998, the cost of a local one-way bus fare was 80 cents. The next fare hike was in 2004, when it increased to $1.10.

CATS has continued to have increases, in 2006 ($1.20); 2008 ($1.30); 2009 ($1.50); 2010 ($1.75) and now 2012 ($2).

The cost of express buses also would go up.

One-way express bus fares within Mecklenburg County would go from $2.40 to $2.75; one-way express bus fares outside of the county would go from $3.50 to $4.

The Metropolitan Transit Commission will hold a public hearing on the increases at its March 28 meeting.


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Sources: CATS, Charmeck.org, McClatchy Newspapers, WCNC, Youtube, Google Maps