The Charlotte Area Transit System said Wednesday that its security plan for the Lynx Blue Line is now fully operational. CATS is working to increase security after 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska was murdered on the light rail last month.
The transit system’s private security firm, PSS, has told CATS that it’s now fully staffed. And Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police will also have 20 officers dedicated to providing security on trains and station platforms, says CATS chief security officer Eric Osnes.
“And as part of this posture, we’re continuing to conduct fare blitzes to connect with our customers to enforce compliance to ensure safety and accountability are visible throughout our system,” Osnes said.
CATS released data showing it’s on track to write roughly 2,000 citations this year for people riding the Lynx Blue Line without a ticket. That’s about the same number as in 2024.
Overall, the light rail will carry a little more than 7 million passengers this year.
CATS said it’s banning more people from using the transit system for infractions such as violence or fare evasion. Last year, the system issued 42 exclusions, which can be for six months, a year, or indefinite. Already in 2025, it’s banned 106 people from trains and buses.
