Riding light rail is easy.
Just buy a ticket -- and don't plan on eating or drinking on board.
There aren't many rules for riding the Lynx Blue Line, though the rule prohibiting eating and drinking may rankle some commuters looking forward to a morning jolt of caffeine.
"That's as much to keep bugs and creepy crawly creatures out of the trains," said Ron Tober, chief executive of the Charlotte Area Transit System. "We don't want people sitting down on sticky milkshakes."
That rule is common on trains throughout the country, though some transit systems enforce the rule better than others. CATS will allow you to carry groceries on the train. And Tober said there will be some interpretation of the rules: CATS may not make you throw out a soda bottle with a screw-cap, for instance.
"I think the rules will be interpreted with some discretion," Tober said.
OTHER RULES
• CATS allows bikes on the trains, though it requires people to place them on racks inside the cars. There are four racks on each train car. If they are full, riders may have to wait for the next train.Tober said CATS studied the Hiawatha light-rail line in Minneapolis, which used bike racks effectively. That works better than letting people hold their bikes while the trains are moving.
"It's terribly disruptive and dangerous," Tober said.
• There is no size limit for carrying luggage on the train. The only requirement is that you be able to carry it on the train by yourself.
• You must keep your ticket while on the train. CATS doesn't check for tickets before people board trains, but it will have fare inspectors checking tickets along the train. Not having a ticket can result in a $50 fine that can increase to $100 if not paid in 30 days.
• There is no loitering at train stations. And passengers can't loiter on trains.
In "heavy rail" systems such as New York, a subway fare can be used as long as you want, assuming you don't get off the train. Lynx Blue Line tickets are time-stamped and show where you bought the ticket, so a fare inspector knows if you are trying to take a return trip for free.
• You can smoke at the train stations, though CATS is encouraging people not to. One reason: It wants to keep its stations clean and free of cigarette butts.
• CATS doesn't allow people to cross the rail tracks at any time, other than at approved crossings. Much of the line is monitored with cameras, which are monitored at the light-rail operations center. People can be warned to get off the tracks by an intercom system at stations.
THIS WEEK: MORE TIPS FOR RIDING THE LIGHT RAIL
WEDNESDAY: SECURITY THURSDAY: COMMUTING FRIDAY: CROSSINGS
