UNC Charlotte students automatically have the CATS All-Access Pass, offering unlimited rides on all Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) buses, streetcars, airport sprinter and LYNX light rail. You must download the CATS-Pass app. Your All-Access Pass will appear in the “Wallet” section of the app.
Faculty and staff may purchase a CATS All-Access Pass at a reduced rate through MyPark. Passes for the 2023-24 academic year become active Aug. 14, 2023, and expire on Aug. 13, 2024.
How to activate
- Download the CATS-Pass app.
- Create your account using your NinerNet@charlotte.edu email address.
- Check that your All-Access Pass appears on the app home screen. If you do not see your All-Access Pass, go to your “Wallet” through the menu on the bottom of the screen and select “All-Access Pass” from the “Current” pass list.
- You’re ready to ride CATS transportation! Simply tap your “Active” pass in the app and scan the code when boarding a CATS bus or show a fare inspector on LYNX light rail.
Failing to show an active pass to the light rail fare inspector can result in a $50 citation.
Getting help
If you have any questions or problems with your CATS-Pass App account, please contact the CATS Call Center at 704-336-7433 or telltransit@charlottenc.gov.
Pass eligibility
The All-Access Pass is unavailable to family members, alumni or retirees (other than faculty emeriti). You can purchase single light rail tickets via the CATS-Pass app or at a ticket vending machine at train stations. Bus passes are sold at specific locations on weekdays, including the J.W. Clay/UNC Charlotte Station.
Per Section 5-5 of the Campus Transportation Policies, no refunds are issued for transit passes.
Students
Your CATS all-access transit pass is included in your Miscellaneous Transportation Service Charge (MTSC). This applies to most enrolled students at UNC Charlotte, excluding those who do not pay the MTSC.
Students who do not pay the Miscellaneous Transportation Service Charge
A semester pass is $25. You may purchase with a credit card through MyPark or by visiting the PaTS office.
Examples of those who may not pay the MTSC include distance-learning students or students enrolled in co-op programs. If you are unsure if you have paid the Miscellaneous Transportation Service Charge, please check your most recent tuition and fees statement via Banner Self-Service.
Permanent faculty and staff
Annual passes are available for $75, or you may purchase a semester pass for $50. You may purchase via payroll deduction or credit card through your MyPark account. Purchases made via payroll deduction will be pre-tax.
Please note: If you are enrolled in classes through the tuition waiver program, you must purchase a CATS All-Access Transit Pass.
Temporary employees
Annual passes are available for $75, or you may purchase a semester pass for $50. Purchase by credit card through MyPark, or visit the PaTS office to enroll in payroll deduction. Please note: Purchases made via payroll deduction will be pre-tax and can only occur in the PaTS office. A form from Human Resources stating your work assignment will be required for payroll deduction.
If you are enrolled in classes, you may have paid the MTSC through your tuition and fees bill, which covers your CATS All-Access Transit Pass. If you are unsure if you have paid the MTSC, please check your most recent tuition and fees statement via Banner Self-Service.
Faculty emeriti
Annual passes are available for $75 or you may purchase a semester pass for $50. You may purchase online through MyPark, or visit the PaTS office.
Business affiliates/campus partners
Annual passes are available for $75, or you may purchase a semester pass for $50. Sponsored guests eligible to purchase a light rail pass can purchase throughMyPark.
Millennial Campus business partners
Please contact Ali Mateen at 704-687-7993 or amateen@charlotte.edu to obtain a pass.
Parking at LYNX stations
There are 11 Park and Ride stations along the Blue Line, with four on the extension. While parking is free at most Park and Ride stations, CATS charges a $10 fee to exit the decks at the J.W. Clay/UNC Charlotte and University City Boulevard stations unless riders have a valid CATS daily, weekly or monthly pass. Riders without a CATS daily, weekly or monthly pass will be required to pay to exit the parking decks. Your pass does not include parking fees incurred at a CATS facility.
CATS Lost and Found
CATS cannot guarantee that any or all items left on trains or buses will be given to Lost and Found. Because a number of items turned into Lost and Found, CATS cannot keep them indefinitely. Items found or delivered to CATS that are not lawfully claimed within 30 days will become property of the City of Charlotte and may be disposed of by law.
To claim a lost item, visit the CATS Customer Service office located in Pavilion A at the Charlotte Transportation Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, or call 704-336-RIDE (7433).
Questions
Contact the PaTS Communication Center at 704-687-0161 or pats@charlotte.edu.
* CATS Special Transportation Service (STS) provides door-to-door transit services within Charlotte’s city limits and the towns of Matthews and Pineville for individuals with disabilities certified as eligible according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). STS service requires user registration and CATS approval before being eligible to ride. This process takes 30 days on average to complete.
