The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) is the agency responsible for public transportation in the Charlotte metropolitan area. Established in 1999, CATS operates bus and rail transit services in Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas. CATS is governed by the Metropolitan Transit Commission and is operated as a department of the City of Charlotte. In 2025, the system had a ridership of 15,683,300, or about 50,100 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2026.