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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — August 18, 2026 — A state audit released Monday exposes deep flaws in the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), including a near-total absence of fare enforcement, chronic security shortfalls, and failure to follow federal safety guidelines. The audit, conducted by North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek, follows the August 2025 fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a light rail car.
The 59-page report, obtained by WBTV, paints a picture of a transit system that has been operating with minimal deterrence against fare evasion, understaffed policing, and a safety framework that ignores the Federal Transit Authority’s (FTA) recommended risk assessment model. CATS officials say they have already begun addressing some issues, but auditors warn that the system remains vulnerable to crime and revenue loss.
The audit found that CATS has zero physical barriers—such as turnstiles or gates—to prevent non-paying riders from boarding buses or light rail. Fare evasion is rampant: an internal CATS analysis from December 2025 estimated that 45% of all riders do not pay—35% on buses and a staggering 60% on light rail. This has cost the agency between $5 million and $6.5 million annually in lost revenue.
The lack of enforcement is not accidental. CATS told auditors that drivers were instructed not to confront fare evaders to avoid verbal or physical abuse. The number of citations issued for fare evasion plummeted from 4,763 in 2023 to just 2,018 in 2025—a 39% drop. Meanwhile, fines collected in 2024 totaled only $750, and in 2025, just $550.
The man charged in Zarutska’s murder, Decarlos Brown Jr., did not buy a ticket before boarding the light rail the night of the stabbing, according to the report. The audit explicitly links the absence of fare enforcement to the broader security breakdown.
The audit found that only two Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers are assigned to the Metro Transit Unit, which patrols light rail and CATS facilities. CATS relies on a private security contractor, Professional Security Services, which provides six armed guards, 26 state-certified police officers, and one captain. Yet the report notes that armed security has been reduced by 40% since 2018.
CATS maintains an “exclusion list” of 175 people banned from the system for violations ranging from open container laws to assaulting drivers. However, the audit found no clear role for Charlotte-Mecklenburg police in determining ban durations or enforcing the list. The report urges CATS to add more officers to the transit unit and to work with police to enforce exclusions.
Under federal law, transit agencies that receive federal funding must adopt a Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan based on FTA’s risk assessment framework. Instead, CATS uses the Department of Defense’s Standard Practice for System Safety—a model designed for missile defense systems and stealth aircraft, not public transit. The FTA’s framework helps agencies evaluate hazards, rank priorities, and decide whether existing mitigations are sufficient.
The audit recommends that CATS immediately adopt the FTA’s framework. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has also voiced support for this change, noting that the current approach could leave the system “ill-equipped to handle evolving threats,” according to a statement obtained by WBTV.
CATS budgeted $7.65 million for safety and security equipment through fiscal year 2029. However, in FY2025, only $470,242 of the $2.23 million appropriated was actually spent. The remaining $1.76 million was deferred to later years. CATS cited reasons such as multi-year project complexity and capitalization timing, but auditors say the agency should strengthen its planning to ensure money is used when allocated.
Charlotte Mayor Robert Harrington sent a letter to the auditor’s office on July 31, acknowledging the findings and outlining recent steps. “CATS has continued strengthening its safety, security, fare enforcement and operational practices in alignment with recommendations,” Harrington wrote. He noted that the agency has expanded its security resources and is exploring AI-powered surveillance to flag fare evaders without using facial recognition—a proposal first reported by WBTV in November 2025.
Under the proposed system, passengers would validate tickets at new machines, and AI cameras would detect behavioral patterns—such as walking past without stopping—and send alerts to security officers. CATS officials say the technology could be a cost-effective solution given the system’s open-platform design, which makes retrofitting turnstiles difficult.
Transportation safety consultant Dr. Laura Chen, who reviewed the audit for WBTV, called it “a wake-up call for mid-sized transit agencies.” She noted that while many systems face fare evasion, CATS’s combination of no gates, shrinking police presence, and a defense-industry safety model is “unusually risky.” “The fatal stabbing last year was a tragedy that could have been prevented with basic security measures,” Chen said. “The audit shows that the gaps are structural, not just operational.”
The state auditor’s office has given CATS 90 days to submit a corrective action plan. CATS is expected to report back by mid-November 2026 with a timeline for implementing turnstile studies, expanding police presence, and transitioning to the FTA safety framework.
