Professional Filming & Photography at CATS

CATS vehicles and facilities can be rented for both small and large scale productions. Rentals are approved on a case-by-case basis.

Light Rail & Streetcar Rentals start at a minimum of four hours for a two-car train which includes travel time to and from the rail station selected for your production. Labor costs are not included in the rental rate.
Base Rate: $4,500.00
Personnel needed to accompany your production are paid at time-and-a -half for a minimum of eight hours.
Buses Rentals start at a minimum of four hours which includes travel time to and from your production's location. Labor cost is included in the rental rate.
Base Rate: $2,500.00 + (Operator, Supervisor and Manager X 12 hour minimum)
Facilities CATS facilities may be rented during non-revenue hours (2 am – 5 am) unless otherwise negotiated.
Base Rate: $2,500.00 + (Operator, Supervisor and Manager X 12 hour minimum)
Props The following props are available to rent for an additional fee:
Bus stop signage
Light Rail/Streetcar signage
Printed schedules and maps

CATS reserves the right to charge different or additional fees and charges based on the specifics of a particular filming or photography session.

Support Staff

CATS staff is required for support as follows:

  • Managerial and/or Supervisory staff is required for most productions and will accompany the production team for the entirety of filming.
  • Specialized personnel must be hired as needed, as determined by CATS: Bus Operators, Light Rail/Streetcar Operators, Marketing and Security Staff.

The CATS Brand and Other Restrictions

CATS and its employees and other representatives must not be presented in a negative light. Any filming and photography must not portray CATS or public transit as dangerous. Filming is not permitted to depict violent or harmful acts (whether fictional or recreations of real events), explicit scenes, or any action that CATS staff deem inappropriate.

CATS reserves the right to prohibit or limit any proposed filming or photography on any other grounds that CATS deems appropriate.

Approval Process 

  1. Contact Lashika Williams with CATS' Marketing Department at Lashika.williams@charlottenc.gov.
  • E-mail a Letter of Intent with your script, storyboard or concept providing as much detail as possible.
  1. Staff will respond to schedule a pre-production meeting or conference call.
  2. A written cost estimate and contract(s) will be emailed to the Production Company following the pre-production meeting or conference call.  Execution of CATS's contracts will be required before filming or photography can begin.
  3. Production staff must email the following documents to CATS:
  • Certificate of Insurance (COI) with the City of Charlotte listed as the additionally insured
  • Signed contract(s)
Back to top