Mecklenburg County transit riders have until Wednesday, Sept. 30, to apply for two new advisory committees that will advise the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) on accessibility and service quality.

The Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority (MPTA) and CATS opened applications Tuesday, Sept. 1, for the Mobility Access Committee (MAC) and the Transit Riders Advisory Committee (TRAC), according to a city announcement. Both are permanent bodies with staggered three-year terms. They will submit reports to the MPTA Board of Trustees and the MPTA Operations & Safety Committee.

MAC will have 15 members focused on improving transit for riders with disabilities and those who use Special Transportation Services (STS) or paratransit. At least nine seats are reserved for active riders who use STS/paratransit or navigate CATS services while living with a disability. Caregivers, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) professionals, service providers and advocates may also apply.

TRAC will have 13 members focused on the systemwide rider experience across bus, rail, microtransit and STS. The MAC chair and vice chair will also sit on TRAC. At least nine TRAC seats go to active CATS riders. Non-riders who work closely with transit users, such as service providers, employers, community leaders or educators, are welcome to apply as well.

The deadline is Sept. 30.

Both committees are proposed to meet every other month starting in 2027. MAC would meet the first Tuesday at 4 p.m.; TRAC would meet the first Thursday at 4 p.m. The MPTA Board chairperson will appoint members, with selections announced by December 2026.

For Ballantyne-area commuters, the committees arrive as CATS continues planning rail expansion south. As of October 2025, CATS's funded plan extended the Lynx Blue Line only to Carolina Place Mall in Pineville, not to Ballantyne. CATS put a preliminary price tag of $1.8 billion on the full Ballantyne extension but said no design work had been done, making that figure speculative, WFAE reported. Whether that funding picture has changed is unclear.

MPTA and CATS said the committees aim to bring rider perspectives into decisions about accessibility, service quality and the transit system's future.

Applications are available at ridempta.com/advisory-committees. Riders with questions can call CATS customer service at 704-366-7433. Accommodations or translation services are available free by emailing [email protected] or calling the city's accommodation line at 704-336-7433.