Rules to Ride by

Please be ready, on time and have your fare ready for the driver. Because of traffic, weather, and other unforeseen events, we are sometimes delayed, but you do not want to be the cause of further delays. We try our best to be there within your 30-minute pickup window; if it looks like we will be delayed by more than 30 minutes and we have a phone number to reach you, we will call you.

If you are to be picked up from a high-rise building, you will need to meet us in the lobby on the ground level at your scheduled time. CATS Paratransit Service only provides door-to-door service. This applies to the front door of all residences and other buildings. The driver will not come into your residence to assist you with anything you may need to do before riding.

If you use a wheelchair and there is not a ramp at your home, someone must be there to help you up or down the stairs. All Paratransit vehicles are equipped with 800 lb. capacity wheelchair lifts.

In an effort to encourage Paratransit customers to promptly notify CATS when they need to cancel a scheduled trip and to reduce no-shows and late cancellations, CATS will review no-shows and late cancellations each calendar month. A no show occurs when the vehicle arrives at the pick-up location within the 30-minute pickup window and the customer does not board or the operator cannot reasonably see the customer approaching the vehicle after waiting five (5) minutes. A late cancellation occurs when a customer cancels a trip less than two (2) hours before the scheduled trip.

Any customer who incurs five (5) or more no-shows or late cancellations in a rolling month will trigger a review of their trips to determine if a pattern or practice exists. A pattern or practice exists when the rate of no-shows or late cancellations represent ten percent (10%) or more of the total trips scheduled by the customer. Only no shows and late cancellations that are within the customer's control will be counted. However, it is the customer's responsibility to notify CATS of the circumstances surrounding the no-show or late cancellation as soon as possible by phone or in writing to:

CATS Paratransit Service

901 North Davidson Street
Charlotte, NC 28206

Fax:704.336.5119

Telephone:704.336.6103

E-mail:telltransit@charlottenc.gov

Customers should include "Excused No-Show" or "Excused Late Cancellation" in the subject line and their name, contact information and the reason the no-show or late cancellation should be excused.

If a customer has a no-show or late cancellation for one trip and has one or more additional trips scheduled on the same day, CATS will not automatically cancel the customer's subsequent trip(s). It is the customer's responsibility to either take the later trip(s) or cancel it/them in a timely manner to avoid being charged with any additional no-shows or late cancellations.

Customers will receive written warning after each no-show or late cancellation.  Customers that are found to have a pattern or practice of no-shows or late cancellations will be subject to a suspension of service.

A suspension will begin ten (10) calendar days from the estimated date of receipt of the Notice of Suspension letter unless the customer appeals the decision.  Repeated violations of the No-Show Policy that occur within the same rolling 12-month period will cause the length of suspensions to increase as follows:

• First suspension – Three (3) days

• Second suspension – Five (5) days

• Third suspension – Ten (10) days

• Fourth or more suspension – Twenty (20) days

A customer who receives a Notice of Suspension letter may appeal the suspension in writing or by phone to:

CATS Paratransit Service

901 North Davidson Street
Charlotte, NC 28206

Fax:704.336.5119

Telephone:704.336.5055

E-mail:telltransit@charlottenc.gov

Customers should include "No-Show Suspension Appeal" in the subject line and their name, contact information, and the reason for the appeal.

If an appeal is made, CATS will postpone the suspension until a determination is made by the CATS Appeal Board.  The customer will be invited to attend the CATS Appeal Board meeting to present their case. 

You will be allowed to suspend your subscription service for up to 15 days without losing your seat to someone else. If you need more time, and you let us know before those 15 days are up, we will give you up to 15 more days, but 30 days is the maximum. After this period, if you do not start riding again, your subscription will be canceled and you will have to reapply for subscription service. Subscription riders who repeatedly cancel individual trips may lose their subscription service.

You may bring groceries and lightweight packages on board; the bus driver can help you with up to four lightweight packages. If you have more than that, we ask that you are considerate, bringing only what you and your attendant or companion can handle yourselves.

If you use a wheelchair and are able to do so, you may transfer from your chair to a seat on the vehicle.

How you behave on our vehicles is important, and we will refuse transportation to customers who are disruptive or pose a threat or danger to themselves or to other passengers.

If you are using a CATS Paratransit Service Monthly Pass, you must have it with you on every trip or you will not be permitted to board the vehicle.

You may bring personal portable oxygen bottles.

If you have a commendation or a complaint, call the CATS Paratransit Customer Service Manager at 704.336.6103.