Transit Safety Update Following Lynx Blue Line Fatality

Photo: Charlotte Area Transit System

Brent Cagle, Interim CEO of the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), discussed staffing, fare enforcement, and safety challenges during a special meeting of the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) on Wednesday. He was joined by Eric Osnes, the recently hired Chief Safety and Security Officer, who reports directly to Cagle. This move emphasizes the importance of safety and security within CATS. A similar presentation was also delivered to the Charlotte City Council the night before.

This meeting took place nearly two weeks after the tragic murder of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, who was killed on a Lynx Blue Line train in South End. Cagle announced that CATS will focus on enhancing fare enforcement on buses and light rail after this incident. CATS had already increased its security budget from $5.8 million in 2023 to $18.4 million, and moving forward, CATS plans to establish a new fare enforcement team. They will operate independently of security staff, adding even more visibility on trains.

Cagle noted the limits of enforcement in a system of this size: “It is not possible… to check every ticket for every passenger,” he stated. Additionally, Cagle noted that the recent tragedy has intensified discussions about ending free rides on the four-mile Gold Line streetcar, which is currently fare-free.

Sustain Charlotte recently released a statement supporting the need for more security measures as well as mental health services to reduce the risk of similar violent incidents in the future.

Thanks for reading!

As a nonprofit, community support is essential for us to keep doing what we do — including providing free articles like this. If you found this article helpful, please consider supporting Sustain Charlotte.

Want to stay in the loop? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.