CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Starting next Friday, October 30th, you’ll begin seeing fare inspectors called “ambassadors” on CATS light rail trains and platforms. A team of 60 “ambassadors” will check to make sure tickets are paid, but can also help answer general questions from riders.
They’ll be wearing blue shirts and yellow hats and will approach riders in non-confrontational ways. The changes come after the stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska last year and other violence on light rail trains.
In April, CATS leadership said it loses about $3-$5 million a year due to fare evasion, with about 50 percent of people not paying to ride the bus or light rail. The program is expected to cost around $5 million a year.
