Charlotte transit agency approves first-ever fares on Gold Line streetcars
The Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority recently approved a new fare policy that would streamline payment methods and prices, and also start charging fares for the first time on the Gold Line streetcar.
The changes were done in part to increase safety for riders, according to officials.
Changes include streamlining the fare prices to three categories: $2.20 for local service — including the Gold Line as well as light rail and local buses, $3.50 for regional express bus service and 90 cents for neighborhood shuttles. It also includes new ways to pay as well as expanding electronic fare validation across the entire Charlotte Area Transit System.
It’s expected to take 12 to 18 months for the changes to be implemented. CATS plans to conduct public outreach events ahead of the launch of the fare improvements.
“We’re trying to simplify the system and modernize it to try and help with fare evasion,” CATS Interim CEO Brent Cagle said to the MPTA on Wednesday.
The changes look to improve safety by shifting more to a proof of payment system with additional changes for stricter fare enforcement. Officials believe the changes can deter opportunistic crime.
Earlier this year, Cagle told the city council that around half of all bus and light rail riders are not paying their fares, with rail evasion the most common occurrence. It costs the city up to $5 million in annual revenue from fare evaders.
Cagle said CATS now expects to present a contract to the city council on June 22 to create a dedicated fare enforcement division with over 60 positions.
Other changes include fare capping, which means riders automatically stop paying once they reach the cost of a daily, weekly, or monthly pass. Reduced fare eligibility will also be expanded to include income eligible individuals in qualifying assistance programs, and veteran and active-duty military customers, according to a CATS presentation.
Concerns over charging a fare on the Gold Line in Charlotte
While MPTA members supported efforts to increase safety, some voiced disappointment in adding a fare to the Gold Line streetcar. The MPTA approved the fare modernization program, but a motion to remove a fare for the Gold Line failed.
MPTA member Corine Mack said the streetcar serves a lot of disenfranchised communities. Adding a fee could place an undue burden on residents, she said.
“I understand that this board is in the business of creating a new transit system, but we should never put profit over people. Ever,” Mack said.
But MPTA member David Longo said having fares on all the transit lines and buses allows for more enhanced security measures. He added the Gold Line was never expected to remain fare free.
“I think we need to be very focused on increasing our security and increasing the tools that help us,” he said. “If this is something that helps aid us in creating a safer system I think we need to put that as a top-level priority.”
Continued challenges for CATS
The approval comes as CATS has drawn scrutiny after a video circulating online showed a man with a knife on a light rail train. No one was injured during the incident, and it was not initially reported, according to Cagle.
The video showed a man wearing purple gloves and brandishing a knife while arguing with another man and woman. The video ends after the man exits the train and sits on a bench on a platform. Police are investigating the incident.
Safety on Charlotte’s transit system came under scrutiny after the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska last August; DeCarlos Brown Jr. was charged in the case.
While crime on public transit is rare, a recent Charlotte Observer investigation finding violent incidents were more likely to occur on buses rather than light rails, and detailed attacks on bus drivers.
Cagle said CATS is working alongside UNC Charlotte and Central Piedmont Community College to develop a new artificial intelligence system to improve security.
The system isn’t facial recognition but would identify “suspicious activities or movements,” Cagle said. The plan is for the technology to be paired with CATS’ security cameras and have the ability to alert authorities when needed, he said.
The proposal comes as CATS has recently reported a decrease in overall transit crime. The transit system recorded a 69% decrease in crime on the Blue Line and a 67% reduction in bus operator and passenger assaults during the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to data released by the transit agency.