The Charlotte Area Transit System’s ridership increased by nearly 11% in 2024 compared to the prior year, according to data from the federal government.
But the number of people riding CATS buses and trains is still far lower than it was last decade.
CATS carried 15.7 million passenger trips last year as it works to bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic.
The increase from 2023 is likely due to more people returning to work in the office, as well as more reliable bus service, after years of missed trips and canceled routes.
But overall ridership is still about 65% from prepandemic levels in 2019. And it’s only a little more than half of what it was in 2013, when more than 29 million people rode CATS.
- Bus ridership grew by 10% over 2023 numbers. But the bus system has suffered the most over the last decade, losing 65% of total riders since 2013.
- Ridership on the Lynx Blue Line grew 12% compared to last year. Lynx ridership is higher than it was in 2013, which was before the extension to UNC Charlotte was built. Its ridership is nearly 70% of what it was in 2019.
- The Gold Line streetcar saw ridership increase by nearly 14% over 2023.
Charlotte is hoping to pass a 1-cent sales tax increase this year that will expand the bus system and build new rail transit lines.
