The express bus connecting Ballantyne's Waverly and Arboretum park-and-ride stations to Uptown Charlotte now runs 12 trips a day instead of nine.

The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) added three weekday trips to Route 61X, the Arboretum/Waverly Express, on Monday, Oct. 5. The route also serves the Strawberry Hill park-and-ride, according to a CATS notice. CATS described the changes in a Sept. 29 press release as the first service improvements funded by last year's transit sales tax referendum.

The change matters for Ballantyne commuters.

Mecklenburg County voters approved the 1% sales tax increase in November 2025 by a margin of 52.1% to 47.9%, according to the Charlotte Observer. Charlotte officials estimated the increase would cost the average county household about $240 a year. The tax is projected to generate roughly $19.4 billion over 30 years, WBTV reported.

CATS Interim CEO Brent Cagle said in the Sept. 29 statement that the Oct. 5 rollout marks "the moment where our commitments turn into visible action."

The Route 61X expansion was part of a broader package.

CATS also boosted frequency on Route 5 (Airport Sprinter) to 15-minute weekday service, moved Route 9 (Central Avenue) to 15-minute daily service and launched a new microtransit zone in West Charlotte, according to WCNC. Route 53X (Northlake Express) added three peak trips, bringing that route to 13 daily trips.

The improvements fall under CATS' Better Bus Program, part of the agency's 2055 Transit System Plan. David Howard, chair of the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority, said in the same press release that the changes show "the plan is moving from vision to reality."

Additional phases are expected in February and June 2027, WCNC reported. CATS has not announced specific dates or public comment deadlines for those rounds. Riders can check route details through the CATS-Pass app or by calling CATS customer service at 704-336-7433.