County Expands Senior Transport Service

The Mecklenburg County Transportation System, the county’s nonemergency medical and general public transportation service, is expanding service capacity and opening access to more residents.

The service is available to eligible seniors 60 and older and residents younger than 60 with disabilities. It provides rides to medical appointments, adult day care, grocery stores, food banks and farmers markets, as well as paid employment and postsecondary education.

Trips for Medicaid-approved appointments are free. Other trips cost $1.50 each way.

For North Mecklenburg residents, the main advantage over the Charlotte Area Transit System’s Micro service is the expanded coverage area. CATS Micro offers point-to-point transportation for $1.10 for the same groups but does not travel beyond southern Huntersville. The county service also reaches areas farther east and west of Interstate 77 than Micro.

To apply, residents can call the scheduling line at (704) 336-4547 and provide the name, Social Security number, date of birth, home address and telephone number of the person needing transportation, along with the name and phone number of an emergency contact. Callers also must provide the name, address and phone number of the destination.

Trips are provided by Mecklenburg County-certified drivers, contracted vendors such as taxi services, and through monthly Charlotte Area Transit System bus passes.

The service is available to eligible seniors 60 and older and residents younger than 60 with disabilities for rides to medical appointments, adult day care, grocery stores, food banks and farmers markets, as well as paid employment and postsecondary education. Trips for Medicaid-approved appointments are free; other trips cost $1.50 each way.

Since CATS Micro offers point-to-point transportation for $1.10 for the same groups, the main draw for North Mecklenburg residents is that the service travels beyond the Micro boundary, which does not travel beyond southern Huntersville. The service also provides access to additional areas further east and west of I-77 than Micro.

To apply, residents can call the scheduling line at (704) 336-4547 and provide the name, Social Security number, date of birth, home address and telephone number of the person needing transportation, along with the name and phone number of an emergency contact. Callers also must provide the name, address and phone number of the destination.

Trips are provided by Mecklenburg County-certified drivers, contracted vendors such as taxi services, and through monthly Charlotte Area Transit System bus passes.