October 2022 Rider of the Month: Michelle Manning
By Cameron Proctor
9/29/2022
At CATS, it’s in our core values to connect communities with each other. Our riders come from all walks of life and have amazing stories to share. So, we want to recognize these riders by allowing them to tell a little bit about themselves and what riding with CATS means to them. We are very excited to announce we are launching our Rider of the Month program this October. Every month, one CATS rider will be selected as Rider of the Month and featured on our social media platforms and blog page.
Our first Rider of the Month is Michelle Manning. Michelle is a proud Queen City native. She grew up in Charlotte’s West End and has been living on the East side for most of her adult life. CATS has been part of Michelle’s life as far back as she can remember. She recalls riding our buses from when she was a child all the way to now.
Michelle is someone who can tell you about most transit routes around Charlotte. Spending her entire life riding public transit in the city has made her very knowledgeable of CATS routes, even the ones she does not ride regularly!
Where is Michelle riding to?
During her free time, Michelle enjoys exploring the many festivals that happen around the Charlotte area monthly. She also enjoys being Uptown Charlotte where all the action of the city is. Michelle also has family in Charlotte that she likes to spend time with when she is not enjoying “me time” at home.
Why does Michelle ride with CATS?
Michelle says she has a driver’s license, but she doesn’t like being the one behind the wheel when on the road. She also likes the affordability of a one-way transit pass and being able to meet new people from her community while on the bus.
Why is transit Important to Michelle?
“Charlotte has become a very large and important city in the past 30 years,” Michelle said when asked why CATS is vital in for the Charlotte community. Michelle has seen CATS grow extensively throughout her life here and is excited to see the agency continue to grow with the city. She went on to say it’s important that CATS has moved bus and rail service into neighborhoods over the years where there once was no public transportation. She said this is important because some people don’t have access to a private vehicle, and some who do prefer to save money riding transit and should have that as an option.
What is Michelle the most excited about for the future of CATS?
Michelle loves riding the bus, but she is also a big fan of the CATS rail system. She is excited about the 2030 Transit Corridor System plan proposed commuter rail, the LYNX Red Line, which would connect Uptown Charlotte to the Towns of Huntersville, Mooresville, Davidson and Cornelius in North Mecklenburg County.
What does Michelle want to say to her community and fellow riders?
Michelle says it is always important to be kind and friendly to your bus and rail operators and other riders as well!