If you’re homeless and don’t own a car there are many options for you to get around Charlotte.
CATS As an avid CATS rider for over 25 years, I feel qualified to give you advice on how to best use the bus system. Your first step should be using Google Maps. You can enter your desired destination, click on the bus icon and it will tell you exactly which bus # to take, when it will come, when it will arrive and how much walking is involved.
The second thing you should do is put the CATS Pass app on your phone. The icon for the app looks like this. The buses run on a set schedule but they’re rarely on time. The app will show you where you are and where the nearest stop and bus route are located. Then you can swipe left to see the incoming schedule. Or don’t swipe and you’ll see the outbound schedule. Finally, tap on the inbound or outbound bus and it’ll show you a map of where the bus is currently located.
You can pay for your ride using the CATS Pass app too. But what if you can’t? There are several places that will give you bus passes for specific purposes. The Resource Center at Roof Above will provide you with a pass for a verified job interview, or medical appointment. They will also provide a bus pass if they refer you to a Nourish-Up pantry for food. And once you get verified permanent employment, they will provide you with two 10-ride bus passes to cover the time until you get a paycheck.
