John Lewis resigning as head of CATS, the city’s troubled transit agency
John Lewis is resigning from his position as CEO of the Charlotte Area Transit System on Nov. 30, City Manager Marcus Jones announced Thursday.
The decision comes after the transit system has experienced a woeful year of staff shortages and violence on buses.
Lewis said in a statement he’s leaving to “pursue private sector opportunity.” Neither he nor Jones clarified where Lewis is going next.
“In my seven years with CATS, I am proud of the great work we achieved and that we showed up for the community every day,” Lewis said. “I am so thankful I had the privilege to make CATS and every employee a part of this chapter of my life, and I am excited to cheer on CATS as I continue to be a part of the Charlotte community as a transit advocate and rider.”
Assistant City Manager Brent Cagle will serve as interim leader of CATS as Charlotte conducts a national search for its next CEO.
Cagle was previously the city’s aviation director, overseeing Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Prior to coming to Charlotte, Cagle was chief financial officer for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Lewis was the second-highest paid city employee in the 2022 fiscal year making $282,177, behind only Jones, according to The Charlotte Observer’s city employee salary database. Cagle’s salary is $266,791, making him the No. 4 highest-paid city employee, according to the database.
Jones said Cagle’s leadership experience with international airports qualifies him for the role. The way he treats employees is “second to none,” Jones said.
Schedule problems, CATS driver killed
Lewis’ departure comes after a summer of transportation troubles.
Vacant positions, employee absences, scheduled vacations and days off all affected transit system schedules, officials said. Buses were canceled or ran late, infuriating many riders. On some routes, CATS made permanent changes resulting in fewer buses.
In February, a gunman shot and killed 41-year-old Ethan Rivera, a CATS bus driver. After a two-week manhunt, police arrested 21-year-old Darian Dru Thavychith for the murder at a gas station in a suburb of Kansas City. Rivera was extradited to Charlotte on March 17.
Shots also were fired into a CATS bus in May, leading Lewis to reassure riders about safety.
Reaction to CATS CEO’s resignation
“This has been a difficult time for anybody who is running a transit organization in the country,” Jones said, when asked about the outgoing CEO’s performance. “John experienced those same difficulties.”
In a statement, Mayor Vi Lyles called Lewis “a dedicated and passionate professional – someone who deeply cares for this organization and this community.”
The decision will not cause a setback to CATS’ plans, Jones said, which include revamping the Charlotte Transportation Center, expanding the CityLYNX Gold Line, creating a commuter rail Red Line and building the Silver Line.
District 7 City Councilman Ed Driggs, chair of the Transportation, Planning and Development Committee, sees the resignation as an opportunity to deal with CATS service and operational issues.
“John found another opportunity,” Driggs said. “I’m not surprised because his life wasn’t easy here in Charlotte.”
Driggs hopes the city hires someone who has worked through challenges in a different city similar to those Charlotte is facing.
District 6 City Councilman Tariq Bokhari, a strong critic of CATS, said he’s excited for Cagle to take the helm, as his frustration with the system has grown over the past five years.
“My first hope is that we get our internal house in order and that’s everything from employee relations and morale to the bus system,” Bokhari said. “I believe that this is a first step to pose Charlotte for a transformational investment in transportation.”
What’s next for CATS?
In the national search, Jones said he’ll look for an individual with operating experience who has a passion for service and the community. “But maybe more importantly, they’re able to get things done,” Jones said.
Over the past six months, Jones said the city has been reviewing CATS. He told Charlotte City Council members in July he hired an outside management consulting firm to make recommendations.
Jones said he didn’t plan to wait until the report was finalized to make some changes, but he didn’t say during a briefing with reporters whether those changes included a new CEO.
Cagle and Lewis, who Jones said have a great relationship, will be looking at “short-term, medium-term and long-term” solutions over the next month to make Cagle’s transition smooth, Jones said.
“This is really an exercise in transition and change management,” Cagle said. “I think I handled it well at aviation and I plan to bring that experience with me to this transition and changes in CATS.”
This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 3:30 PM.
