Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, a U.S. Airways hub, is about twenty minutes from uptown and is ranked among the nation's busiest airports (thirteenth in operations and seventeenth in passengers in 2003) averaging more than 500 daily departures serving about 25 million passengers every year. For motor travel to the region, Interstates 77 and 85 intersect in Charlotte, and I-40 is a half-hour away.
The Charlotte Department of Transportation's (CDOT) 400 employees work to maintain the local commuter system. The Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) operates more than 40 routes for about 12 million passengers annually; the system also offers two vanpool programs, special transportation services for the disabled, and shuttle services. In 2002 CATS proposed a "Transit Corridor System Plan" meant to provide rapid public transportation via six main corridors within the city.