In June 2024, Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) finalized a Transit Strategic Plan to improve bus service over the next ten years. Transit Strategic Plans are required for transit agencies operating in metropolitan areas of Virginia to ensure that transit services are planned to better meet their communities' mobility needs. This presented CAT with an opportunity to evaluate and update our services and network to respond to changes in our community.
CAT's inaugural Transit Strategic Plan was developed based on guidelines approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board and overseen by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), as well as data analysis, previous plans and studies, and input from our riders and stakeholders. This Transit Strategic Plan will replace CAT’s Transit Development Plan from 2018 as the key planning document shaping bus service in the Charlottesville area in the coming years.
The Transit Strategic Plan
How does the Transit Strategic Plan relate to other recent and ongoing transit initiatives?
- CAT’s Transit Strategic Plan incorporates recommendations from previous transit plans and studies, including CAT’s System Optimization Plan (2021) and the Thomas Jefferson Regional Planning District Commission (TJPDC) Regional Transit Vision Plan (2022).
- CAT’s System Optimization Plan focused on improving frequency and span on major routes, expanding coverage to high-activity areas, and restoring pre-COVID service.
- TJPDC’s Regional Transit Vision Plan evaluated current transit service levels in the City of Charlottesville and the Counties of Albemarle, Greene, Louisa, Fluvanna, Buckingham, and Nelson and provides a long-term vision for transit in the region that prioritizes equity, multi-modality, and efficiency.
- CAT’s Transit Strategic Plan includes recommendations from these previous plans and studies, as well as additional recommendations that reflect current conditions, rider and stakeholder input, and additional data analysis.