Charlotte Transit Authority (MPTA): Board, Projects & Coverage

Everything we have reported on the transit authority, newest first.

Next meeting

Wednesday, October 14

MPTA Business Meeting · 6 p.m. ET

What MPTA Is Working On

Active Thread

CATS Transition & 2055 Transit System Plan

The MPTA took operational control of CATS on July 1, 2026. Employees, payroll and computer systems are due to move over from the City of Charlotte on January 1, 2027, a deadline interim CEO Brent Cagle has called “very, very aggressive.” On July 8 the board let him sign the technology contracts for that move without a separate vote on each one. The old Metropolitan Transit Commission held its final meeting May 27 after 27 years and approved a modernized fare system, phased in over 2027 and 2028. The 2055 Transit System Plan is the 30-year roadmap for bus, rail and microtransit. First full MPTA-exclusive budget in FY28. What is the MPTA? → · What happened to CATS? →

Active Thread

Red Line Commuter Rail

North corridor commuter rail from Uptown to Lake Norman through Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson. Cost: $1.26 billion (2026 estimate). City Council approved $37.9M design contract to 30%. Red Line must reach 50% completion before any other rail project can be completed. In August the board unanimously ordered a separate study of a possible West Craighead station; the 11-station plan is unchanged. Red Line, explained →

Active Thread

Silver Line Light Rail Extension

East-west light rail. Full plan: 29 miles, 30 stations ($6.9B). Funded segment: ~10 miles, airport to Coliseum ($3.3B). Matthews not in current plan — would require third transit tax. WSP advising on station consolidation for $140–$170M savings. Silver Line, explained →

Active Thread

Gateway Station

Multimodal transit hub at W. Trade and Graham streets. Connects Red Line, Silver Line, Gold Line, Amtrak, and bus. $89M CTC project stalled. MPTA may take the lead. Council members Anderson and Graham pressing for action. Gateway Station, explained →

Active Thread

Bus Network Redesign & Project BOAST

High-frequency bus routes. Microtransit expansion to underserved areas. Project BOAST protects small businesses along construction corridors. Board directed staff to develop employment impact estimates.

Active Thread

Transit Tax & 30-Year Financial Plan

Two transit sales taxes: the original Article 43 half-cent (~$165M/yr) plus the PAVE Act one-cent (~$325M/yr). Combined: ~$490M annually. 40% roads, 40% rail, 20% bus. $19.4 billion projected over 30 years. Passed by 52.28% in November 2025. How the transit tax works →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MPTA?

The Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) is Charlotte’s regional transit agency, established in December 2025 after voters approved a transit sales tax. It oversees a $19.4 billion, 30-year investment in bus, rail, and microtransit across Mecklenburg County. Full explainer →

Who is on the MPTA board?

The MPTA has a 27-member board: 12 City of Charlotte appointees, 6 Mecklenburg County appointees, 6 town representatives (one each from Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville), 2 NC General Assembly appointees, and 1 Governor’s appointee.

Who is the chair of the MPTA?

David L. Howard, a former Charlotte City Council member and City of Charlotte appointee. He was elected chair by acclamation at the inaugural meeting on December 18, 2025.

When does the MPTA board meet?

Business meetings are typically the second Wednesday of each month. Workshops and committee meetings are scheduled as needed. All meetings stream live on the MPTA YouTube channel.

What happened to CATS?

CATS (Charlotte Area Transit System) continues to operate bus and rail service. The MPTA took operational control on July 1, 2026. The people who run CATS remain City of Charlotte employees until the staff transition, which is targeted for January 1, 2027. Full explainer →

What is the Charlotte Red Line?

The Red Line is a planned commuter rail corridor from Uptown Charlotte north to Lake Norman, passing through Huntersville, Cornelius, and Davidson. Cost estimate: $1.26 billion. Design is at 30% after City Council approved a $37.9M contract in March 2026. State law requires 50% completion before any other rail project can finish. Full explainer →

What is the Charlotte Silver Line?

The Silver Line is a planned east-west light rail extension. The full project spans 29 miles with 30 stations ($6.9B). The funded Minimal Operable Segment — ~10 miles from the airport to the Bojangles Coliseum area — costs $3.3 billion. Matthews is not in the current plan. Full explainer →

How does the Charlotte transit tax work?

Two levies: the original 1998 Article 43 half-cent (~$165M/yr for operations) plus the 2025 PAVE Act one-cent (~$325M/yr, split 40% roads / 40% rail / 20% bus). Combined: ~$490M annually. Mecklenburg County’s sales tax rate reached 8.25% on July 1, 2026. Full explainer →

What is Gateway Station?

Gateway Station is a planned multimodal transit hub at the intersection of W. Trade and Graham streets in Charlotte. It would connect the Red Line, Silver Line, Gold Line, Amtrak service, and bus routes. The $89M CTC project has been stalled but MPTA may take the lead. Full explainer →

How much will Charlotte’s transit plan cost?

The 2055 Transit System Plan is projected at $19.4 billion over 30 years, funded by two transit sales taxes totaling ~$490M annually, plus projected federal grants (~$5.9B over 30 years). Major projects: Red Line ($1.26B), Silver Line ($3.3B–$6.9B), Gateway Station ($89M), bus network redesign, and microtransit expansion.

Sep 29, 2026
Charlotte's Housing Bond Plan Now Says Where Homes Should Go
Before voters decide on a $125 million housing bond in November, city staff laid out how the money would be split, with new goals for homes near transit and in higher-opportunity neighborhoods. Council plans to adopt the plan in October.
Aug 26, 2026
Five Weeks Out, Charlotte Hasn't Moved on I-77, and Board Members Are Disputing the $60 Million
At its last meeting before the September 23 reinstatement vote, CRTPO heard that Charlotte's position on the I-77 South toll lanes is unchanged, that the alternatives analysis cannot finish in time, and that the $60 million repayment figure is disputed by the county's account of NCDOT's own spending.
Aug 13, 2026
MPTA Unanimously Orders West Craighead Study, Opening a Path to a Future Red Line Station
MPTA unanimously ordered a separate planning study for a possible future West Craighead infill station. The action leaves the current 11-station Red Line plan unchanged while requiring CATS to begin working with the city, county, property owners and community stakeholders.
Jul 11, 2026
To Hit the CATS Deadline, Charlotte's Transit Board Expands Its Interim CEO's Spending Power
Charlotte's new transit authority gave its interim CEO expanded authority to sign technology contracts without case-by-case board approval, racing a Jan. 1 deadline to separate CATS from the city's systems. The vote passed with two opposed, after trustees warned they risked rubber-stamping a roughly $35 million transition they had not fully vetted.
Jul 10, 2026
MPTA Committee Recommends Against a West Craighead Red Line Station, 5-4
A committee of Charlotte's new transit authority voted 5-4 against recommending a West Craighead station for the Red Line, siding with staff who warned an extra stop could weaken the project's bid for federal money. A Sugar Creek neighborhood coalition that spent two years making the case gets one more chance at the full board on Aug. 12.
Jun 28, 2026
Charlotte's Transit Authority Clears Its Last State Requirement, and the CATS Takeover Splits Into Two Dates
On June 24 the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority closed out the last of the twelve requirements North Carolina set before it can run Charlotte's buses and trains, and voted to send the proof to Raleigh. The takeover itself splits in two: operational control on July 1, employees and computers on January 1, 2027.
Jun 11, 2026
What Changes July 1 When the MPTA Takes Over CATS, and What's Still Undecided
On July 1, the Charlotte Area Transit System stops being a city department and passes to the MPTA, a 27-member appointed board, along with a new one-cent tax meant to raise $19.4 billion over thirty years. Here is what changes, what stays the same, and the questions the board carries in unfinished, starting with the one it could not resolve on June 10: whether the Gold Line streetcar should be free.
Jun 3, 2026
A Transit Board Said Goodbye to the Man Who Steadied CATS. He May Not Be Going Anywhere.
At the MTC's final meeting, members praised interim CATS CEO Brent Cagle for steadying an agency in crisis since he arrived in December 2022. The tributes land as the MPTA's national search for a permanent CEO, a job Cagle is eligible to pursue, runs in parallel.
Jun 2, 2026
Charlotte's Transit Board Approves a New Fare System on Its Way Out the Door
The Metropolitan Transit Commission's final vote adopted the CATS Fare Modernization Program, tap-and-go payments, electronic validation, a new streetcar fare, and expanded reduced fares, phased in over 2027-2028. A cash-rider equity question raised repeatedly in public comment went unresolved on the record.
Jun 1, 2026
After 27 Years, Charlotte's Transit Commission Holds Its Final Meeting and Hands CATS to the MPTA
The Metropolitan Transit Commission held its final meeting May 27 after 27 years, adopting an amended CATS fare policy and formally handing operational control to the new Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority. The MPTA takes over July 1, the same day the one-cent PAVE Act transit tax takes effect.
May 30, 2026
Charlotte's Transit System Was Built in 27 Years. Here's the Whole Timeline.
Charlotte went from a bus-only city to a rail-connected region to an independent transit authority in 27 years. A companion to the Mercury's coverage of the MTC's dissolution, laid out as a single annotated timeline.
May 11, 2026
A Budget Hearing, an I-77 Reset, Data Centers — and the Question Malcolm Graham Wouldn't Answer
Council convened in special session at 4 p.m. Monday to take up three of Charlotte's biggest active fights, a $4.5 billion budget hearing, a resolution on the I-77 South toll lanes, and the council's first formal floor discussion of data centers. Council Member Malcolm Graham, who chairs the budget committee, was asked twice on television Sunday whether he is a candidate to fill Mayor Vi Lyles's seat after she steps down June 30. Both times he answered with the public hearing.

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