Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Wednesday said the federal government is launching an investigation into the Charlotte transit system’s security protocols after the death of a Ukrainian woman made national headlines.

The Department of Transportation said in a statement that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has requested information on the Charlotte Area Transit System’s (CATS) “actions and plans to reduce crime and fare evasion on the transit system.”

The FTA has also requested information on the system’s budget for security, safety and information from outside government agencies including the Department of Homeland Security within the next 15 days. 

“This administration is taking a whole of government approach to hold these progressive, weak politicians accountable for allowing violent assailants to terrorize our public transit systems,” Duffy said in the statement. 

“At USDOT, that means investigating CATS and other transit agencies to determine whether they are taking the necessary actions to keep riders and transit workers safe,” he added. 

The FTA will also evaluate CATS’s responses to federal directives implemented to mitigate the safety risks associated with assaults on transit workers.

“FTA notes the rate of assault on transit workers at CATS has jumped to five times the national average in 2025 after being below the national average the prior two years,” a letter from FTA Chief Safety Officer Joe DeLorenzo to interim CATS CEO Brent Cagle read.

“This is a change from one major assault on a transit worker in 2024 to six in 2025, with several months yet to go before the end of the year. In addition, the rate of crimes against passengers on the CATS system is three times the national average.”

FTA Administrator Marcus J. Molinaro said in a letter to Charlotte Mayor Vi Llyes (D) that Iryna Zarutska’s stabbing death on a light rail train was “preventable, and it reflects
systemic failures in leadership and accountability that cannot be ignored.”

“Mayor Lyles, safety is not a talking point. It is the most basic obligation of public service,” Molinaro added.

“Federal support for transit depends on local leaders upholding their end of the bargain. Citizens should not be asked to fund systems where safety is neglected. The federal government cannot and will not subsidize complacence.”

The FTA has requested an increase in visible transit security and the immediate release of a security plan to create more police coordination, boost staff numbers and make surveillance upgrades on all local buses, trains and stations.

CATS said in a statement to The Hill it’s committed to ensuring rider safety.  

“CATS remains fully committed to working collaboratively with our local, state, and federal partners,” the transit agency said.

“These relationships are essential to our mission, and we value the trust and cooperation they represent as we continue working together to support our region’s transit system.”