In December 2009, we met with the CATS management and route planners and had a session where we actually had them draw the proposed changes on a map. We will be working from the map for the full year of 2010 to get the proposed changes accomplished by the end of the year.

The proposed changes that follow are not NEW route requests, but the realignment of existing routes to end the waste and duplication that are in the current CATS route system. These changes can be done within the same yearly BUDGET that CATS already has authorized. However, the end result will be more passengers on these routes AND more revenue generated, giving CATS the ability to use the new revenue generated to offer NEW ROUTES within the system.

The following prosposed changes would save the CATS system millions of dollars in operating revenue, but in addition would provide many more millions of dollars in ADDITIONAL revenue over the next 10 years.

THESE ARE OUR PROPOSED CHANGES:

ROUTE 1 (MT. HOLLY)

Additional buses need to go all the way to Callabridge Commons and the Wal-Mart SuperCenter. Also, weekend trips to Callabridge Commons are needed. This bus does not support this retail center 7 days a week which is necessary to get workers to and from their jobs.


ROUTE 2 (ASHLEY PARK)

We propose that this route no longer service the Uptown CTC (Charlotte Transportation Center) and instead terminate at the Carson Street Station of the LYNX Blue Line. Easy access to the Carson Street Station would allow passengers to travel Uptown on the LYNX light rail OR on the Orange Line Street Trolley that services Morehead Street. This trolley could easily offer service to the Carson Street Station since this is the turnaround point at Morehead Street for the Orange Line. No service would be lost to any of the passengers, but convenient connections to the LYNX Blue Line would provide travellers the opportunity to travel either direction on the LYNX Blue Line or use the Uptown Street Trolley to get to their destination.

In addition, we propose that Route 2 be combined with Route 18 at the Carson Street Station, providing continued bus service directly to Southpark Mall.

This change would result in a savings of approximately $350,000 per year, or $3.5 million dollars over 10 years.

ROUTE 3 (THE PLAZA)

Route 3 The Plaza currently duplicates the exact same route as Route 23 (Shamrock) from 36th Street and The Plaza to the CTC Uptown. Route 3 needs to travel all the way down The Plaza, continuing on The Plaza to Commonwealth Ave., right on Commonwealth, left on Pecan, cross 7th Street and continue along Caswell to Randolph/Third St., then continue on to the CTC Uptown. The Outbound route would be reversed.

The distance travelled for this route is nearly identical to the existing route, but this bus would offer service to the residents of Midwood/Plaza area to the heart of the Plaza/Midwood business district along Central Ave. and The Plaza. In addition, this routing would give access to both CMC Mercy and Presbyterian Hospitals, two of the largest employers in Charlotte. It would also give CMC Mercy Hospital a bus route back since the McAlway bus that used to run by the hospital was discontinued several years ago.

While there would be no additional cost to operate this route, the additional fare revenue that this bus would generate would exceed $250,000 per year, or $2.5 million dollars over 10 years.

ROUTE 4 (COUNTRY CLUB)

This route should have minor modifications so that, at least during peak hours, the service frequency along Route 23 (Shamrock) would give the residents accustomed to frequent morning and afternoon service along Davidson Street the ability to get Uptown. Slight modifications would not impose any additional costs with minor time revisions and give the area better frequency and service along two routes, not just the Davidson Street corridor.

This route could see moderate additional passenger usage, and would probably generate an additional $60,000 per year in fare revenue, or $600,000 over 10 years, due to a more convenient route.

ROUTES 7 (BEATTIES FORD RD) and 9 (CENTRAL AVE.)

We propose that Route 7 (Beatties Ford Road) and Route 9 (Central Ave.) be combined into one route, which we feel should be renamed Route 7. This route will follow the STREETCAR ROUTE from the Rosa Parks Transit Center to Eastland Mall, traveling via Beatties Ford Rd. to Trade Street, continuing past the CTC without turning in to the Center, staying on Trade/Elizabeth to Hawthorne, turning on Hawthorne to Central Ave., turning onto Central Ave. and continuing to the Eastland Transit Center at Eastland Mall.

Currently, these two routes are scheduled to run every 8 to 10 minutes during peak hours, but in reality they run every 30 minutes with 3 or 4 buses showing up together at the same time. These routes are simply not capable of maintaining a route schedule by going past the Transit Centers.

While we are proposing that service for the renamed Route 7 stop well before their current end of route destinations, we propose that those buses which run past the transit center becomes new routes utilizing the buses that are currently used to go past the transit centers. (See proposed changes for Routes 7S, 31, 40 and 222).

By streamlining the combined route 7 and 9 to run the proposed STREETCAR ROUTE, passengers would be able to have faster travel times, buses run more often and on time and possibly more buses on the route since the route is shortened by not turning in to the CTC. This move alone would have huge savings as the buses would not have idle time at the CTC, except for picking up and discharging passengers next to the CTC on Trade St. We propose that this would create a savings of at least $500,000 for each route, or approximately $1 million dollars per year, or $10 million dollars over 10 years.

This would also give bus passengers a chance to see what the STREETCAR route is like, and be accustomed to travelling the STREETCAR route when the system is built in the near future.

ROUTE 7S (SUNSET ROAD)

We propose that this route be a LIMITED EXPRESS, offering a faster route to the Rosa Parks Center. The 7S Sunset Road bus would also become the NORTHLAKE MALL bus from the CTC.

This route would leave the CTC at least every 30 minutes, more often during peak times, and travel from the CTC along Trade Street to GATEWAY. This route would then turn onto I-77 and travel Brookshire Freeway to I-85, left onto I-85 to Beatties Ford Rd., right onto Beatties Ford Rd., then continue along Beatties Ford Rd. to Sunset, turning right on Sunset Rd., then left on Statesville Rd. to Harris Blvd., left onto Harris Blvd. across I-77 to Northlake Mall. Inbound, the bus would travel in reverse. The bus would no longer service Harris Corners, but would stop at the entrance so bus riders would be able to enter the office park from Statesville Rd.

This routing would eliminate the confusion over which Route 7 bus goes to Northlake Mall and would allow passengers travelling north of the Rosa Parks Center a faster bus to get to their destination. We have heard numerous complaints that it takes too long to get to Northlake Mall since the 77X (North Meck) bus stopped servicing Northlake Mall.

While this proposal would be an adjustment to the current Route 7, it would be travelling approximately the same mileage as before. However, with the LIMITED EXPRESS fare being slightly higher than a regular route, this bus could easily bring in $500,000 more in revenue per year, or $5 million over 10 years.

ROUTE 9 (CENTRAL AVE.)

Route 9 would be renamed Route 7, and would travel from the Rosa Parks Transit Center on Beatties Ford Rd. along the current Route 7 into Uptown, past the CTC along Trade/Elizabeth to Hawthorne, turning onto Hawthorne to Central, then turning right on Central to the Eastland Mall Transit Center. This route would eliminate the need for Route 39 (Eastway) to travel to the CTC, allowing the Route 39 (Eastway) bus to become a Crosstown bus travelling from North Tryon, along Eastway to Southpark Mall via Wendover.

Route 9 (Central Ave.) would stop at the Eastland Transit Center, turn around and travel the route in reverse to the Rosa Parks Transit Center. Again, this route should be one route between the two outlying transit centers, which we propose should be renamed Route 7.

ROUTE 10 (WEST BLVD.)

Currently, Route 10 (West Blvd.) crosses the LYNX Blue Line at the East/West Blvd. Station and then follows the Light Rail train into town to the CTC. We propse that the route begin and end at the East/West Blvd. station. This route could be combined with Route 19, which would also begin and end at the East/West Blvd. Station. Cost savings would be at least $500,000 per year, or $5 million over 10 years. 

ROUTE 12 (SOUTH BLVD.)

This bus currently travels all the way to the I-485 LYNX station. This is more of a commuter bus. We propose that the bus end at the Sharon Rd. West station and that the Sharon Lakes route become a loop for the turnaround of the bus. Outbound, the bus should travel all the way down South Blvd. to the Sharon Rd. West Station instead of turning onto Sharon Lakes Rd. When leaving the Sharon Rd. West station, the bus should travel down Sharon Rd. West, turning left onto Sharon Lakes Drive, then right on South Blvd. and continue it's current route.

This change save at least $250,000 per year, or $2.5 million over 10 years by making the route shorter and more efficient.