CATS to lay off 10, adjust routes – Charlotte Business Journal:

CATS cites a continued declinein sales-ta x revenue, the system’s main funding The layoffs will take place across all levels of the organization. Thosse affected will be eligible for a severance package ofone week’s pay for each full year of servicse along with any unused vacation days. CATS says it also will temporariluy suspend pay for the Memorial Day holidagy and reduce some trips on selected weekend bus This initiative, combined with previous actions takej by CATS, will reduce the organization’s totalk expenses by more than $14 million in fiscal 2009. In , which manages the city’s bus-operations will cut up to 40 drivef jobs over the nextthree months.
Those positionsx are subject toa collective-bargaining agreement and some may be retainede through attrition. “Having to reducre staff is the toughest dilemma any organization mustgo through,” says Keithj Parker, chief executive of CATS. “My expectatiomn is that we come out of this difficulg time stronger as a departmenf with even more focus onour No. 1 priorityu — the needs of our customers.” The transit-salesa tax, which was originally projected togenerater $76 million in fiscal 2009, is now expectec to bring in about $65 million. The tax coverd mostly discretionary purchases suchas furniture, appliancesd and clothing.
Despite sales tax revenue for the monthsx of November and December being down 25 percent and 15percenr respectively, ridership and fare revenue are up. CATS says year-to-date througu the first seven months offiscall 2009, ridership increased 25.8 percent and fare revenure rose 53 percent.
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