WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is launching an investigation of North Carolina’s Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). The investigation will review the transit agency’s security spending, safety plans, and ongoing risks to operators and customers being assaulted on the system, according to a news release.
The investigation is spurred by the violent stabbing that killed 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte. A surveillance video released from the attack has brought widespread attention to the case and put local leaders in the spotlight. Police say the suspect did not know Zarutska and the attack was a random act of violence.
“Despite the media and the Charlotte Mayor’s best efforts to censor this tragedy, we have all seen the horrific images of Iryna Zarutska’s last moments on this earth. Local leader’s soft on crime policies are directly responsible for Iryna’s tragic death, and they will continue to put the traveling public at risk,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “This administration is taking a whole of government approach to hold these progressive, weak politicians accountable for allowing violent assailants to terrorize our public transit systems. At USDOT, that means investigating CATS and other transit agencies to determine whether they are taking the necessary actions to keep riders and transit workers safe.”
The news release continues by saying FTA has jurisdiction over transit worker safety and argues that conditions must be evaluated to guarantee similar incidents do not endanger transit workers or commuters in the future.
Additional Information provided by the FTA:
In a letter to Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro emphasizes that collaboration between the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and CATS fully relies on both entities doing their part to ensure the safety and security of transportation systems for commuters and transit workers. Molinaro also calls on CATS to produce a transparent, measurable plan to secure Charlotte’s buses, trains, and stations.
In a separate letter to Interim Chief Executive Officer Brent Cagle, the FTA informs CATS that the federal agency will launch an investigation to address the ongoing risk of operators and customers being assaulted on the system. FTA notes that the rate of assault on transit workers at CATS has jumped to five times the national average in 2025 after being below the national average the prior two years. That is a change from one major assault on a transit in 2024 to six already in 2025. Additionally, it is noted that the rate of crimes against its riders is three times the national average.
This investigation is intended to determine whether conditions exist that endanger transit workers and customers by assessing CATS’s compliance with 49 CFR Part 673, Public Transportation Agency Safety Plans program, and the sufficiency of the agency’s responses to FTA’s directives and correspondence implemented to mitigate the safety risks associated with assaults on transit workers.
FTA is providing CATS 15 days to submit the following information:
- CATS actions and plans to reduce crime and fare evasion on the transit system. Please include information about fare evasion trends and previous actions.
- CATS funds from all sources that are programmed to improve the security of passengers and workers. This should include information about all CATS fiscal year 2025 budgeted and fiscal year 2026 planned funds to reduce crime and fare evasion on the transit system, including a comparison to prior year funding for such expenses. Please also include:
- Security – Expenditures and budgeted funds that meet the Federal transit program security capital projects set aside requirement for Urbanized Area Formula Grants (49 U.S.C. § 5307(c)(l)(J)(i)).
- Safety – Expenditures and budgeted funds that meet the Federal transit program safety set aside requirement for Urbanized Area Formula Grants (49 U.S.C. § 5329(d)(4)(B)).
- Non-FTA funds – Information about funds from other Federal Information about funds from other Federal government agencies directed to the safety and security of CATS passengers and workers. This should include any Department of Homeland Security funds.
Additionally, FTA will conduct:
- an assessment of CATS Safety Risk Reduction Program related to assaults on transit workers;
- an evaluation of the effectiveness of the mitigations identified and implemented by CATS in response to General Directive 24-1: Required Actions Regarding Assaults on Transit Workers, issued by FTA on September 25, 2024.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles released the following statement:
The city has always partnered well with the Federal Transit Authority, including earlier this year for CATS’ triennial review which was successfully completed. We respect the FTA’s role and will take this opportunity to work with them to review how we provide safe service to our community. As I stated previously, we are ready and willing to work with state and federal partners to make our community better and safer. I have always looked for ways for people to come together to find bipartisan solutions and will continue to do so.
City leaders have been working to improve safety in our community and on our transit system and we will continue to do so. Last week, CATS announced several changes to their safety and security program including increased security on the Blue Line, increased fare enforcement, as well as an increased presence from CMPD on the Blue Line. These changes are underway. CATS will also deploy new security teams including bike patrols and urban terrain vehicles in the coming weeks. Nearly 30 additional security personnel will also be added.
We are committed to working with everyone to ensure that our community continues to be safe. I believe in Charlotte, and we will come out, stronger together.
