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Centre Area Transportation Authority

4 buses serving at Penn State University in 2006.
Founded	1972
Headquarters	2081 W. Whitehall Road State College, PA 16801
Locale	State College, Pennsylvania
Service area	State College, Penn State University
Service type	Local transit bus service Microtransit service
Routes	16 Local 3 Fare-Free Within PSU Campus and Downtown State College
Fleet	92 Buses, 12 Paratransit Vehicles, 12 Vans
Daily ridership	13,400 (weekdays, Q3 2024)
Annual ridership	5,010,600 (2023)
Fuel type	CNG
Chief executive	David Rishel
Website	catabus.com

The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is a mass transit agency that provides bus transportation within State College, Pennsylvania and the surrounding areas, as well as Pennsylvania State University. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 5,010,600, or about 13,400 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

History

The company first started as Centre Area Transit (CAT), which was formed to provide a vehicle to subsidize public transit throughout the region. Then on May 17, 1974, the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) was incorporated. By the end of its first year, CATA was officially up and running and its annual ridership was 201,000. By 1979, ridership was continuing to grow year after year prompting CATA to add more bus routes as well as additional buses built by General Motors Corporation. It was then in 1990 that ridership had officially hit the two million mark. Currently all of CATA's fleet buses are CNG-powered and ridership has exceeded seven million passengers, the majority of riders being Penn State students.

Clean Natural Gas Program

In 1993, the CATA Board of Directions made a decision, to start running its buses using Compressed natural gas. With this decision, CATA started the Clean Natural Gas Program, along with Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, where the buses uses clean-burning compressed natural gas that improves the environment. The fuel conversion became easy, as CATA operates its routes close to where natural gas is produced. By then, a natural gas fueling station was installed in the facility in 1995, where CATA can store all natural gas buses in their facility. In 1996, CATA introduced their first fleet of natural gas buses built by Orion Bus Industries. Following delivery, CATA began working with local officials to install natural gas fueling station, to provide natural gas as a fueling option for the public. From 1997 to 2002, CATA began to expand its facility, by adding more natural gas buses with the new state-of-the-art New Flyer low-floor buses, and more fueling dispenser, to expand its capacity, and more fueling capacity. Then, a canopy was installed above the station in the facility, where CATA will be able to fuel buses out of the snow. Following the entire program, CATA would eventually phase out the remaining GMC diesel-powered buses. The Clean Natural Gas program was completed in 2005, making the first agency in the east coast to have its facility converted to hold natural gas buses.

Hydrogen bus project

Following the completion of the Clean Natural Gas program, CATA continued to experiment more alternate fueling option, by joining with Penn State and Larson Transportation Institute. In 2006, the CATA board began to research to have the fleet to run on Hydrogen fuel cell. With the research, one of CATA's buses (Bus #85) was converted to a hydrogen-powered bus, to be a part of an extensive hydrogen demonstration project that is being conducted by Penn State's Pennsylvania Transportation Institute (PTI). Air Products & Chemicals of Allentown, Pennsylvania and Collier Technologies of Reno, Nevada in 2007. This bus was studied for a possibility to use Hydrogen as a fuel for public transportation in Penn State. PTI was able to get funding by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to convert one of CATA's forty-foot New Flyer C40LF buses to run on a hydrogen/natural-gas blend (HCNG). The project was suspended as of 2009.

2012 Fleet Upgrades

In the summer of 2012, CATA took a delivery of 28 brand new 40' New Flyer Xcelsior CNG-powered buses. Those buses replaced the 16 40' Orion V buses and also the 9 35' New Flyer C35LF LYNX buses (#38-45 and #47) from Orlando, FL. All of the Xcelsior buses are 40' despite the fact that nine replaced 35' buses. This replacement plan also allowed CATA to make a net gain of 3 40' buses in their fleet, as only 25 buses were replaced.

Fare-Free Routes

In the fall of 1999, CATA and Penn State came up with an agreement in which CATA would take over all bus transportation on campus, which would be fare-free. Four routes were created as part of the agreement: The Blue and White Loops (in conjunction with the school's colors), and the Red and Green Links (the latter of which is no longer in service). The three current routes, Blue/White Loops and Red Link, run during the fall and spring semesters. Only Blue Loop and White Loop run on the summer and operate under a limited-service schedule. No Loop or Link services run on Sundays during summer except special events.

• Blue Loop – Clockwise route around the campus via College Avenue.
• White Loop – Counterclockwise around the campus via Beaver Avenue.
• Red Link – Runs from West Campus to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park via Curtin Road.

Major Service Routes

CATA's service routes (also known as the "Centre Line") travel around the Penn State campus, downtown State College, and the surrounding areas. All routes run under full service during fall and spring semesters, and only a limited number run during reduced service in the summer.

Summer-Only Route

Starting in Summer 2024, CATA is introducing the SY - Summer Circulator Route, serving downtown State College. This service runs on College Avenue, Westerly Parkway, Pugh Street, and Beaver Avenue. The service runs full-time during the summer reduced service schedule.

College Avenue Connector (CC) Commuter Route

In February 2024, CATA restored service to Cato Park after eliminating service as a part of CATA's mid-year service changes. A special commuter service was added to the College Avenue Connector route west of Butz Street. There are four round-trip services scheduled in the morning and four round-trip services in the evening, both of which connect to the full-service College Avenue Connector route. The commuter service is in effect until August 2024.

Gameday Football Shuttle

During home Penn State football games, CATA also runs two special service routes which serve as the gameday football shuttle. The Downtown Shuttle runs on a loop through downtown State College en route to Beaver Stadium, with bus stops placed in front of a number of various hotels located along the route. The other route is the South Atherton Shuttle which also runs from a designated parking lot in the Hills Shopping Center to Beaver Stadium, allowing fans to park their cars and take the shuttle to the stadium.

Past Service Routes

As of May 2024, only 16 routes are in operation by CATA. Many of the previous service routes have been eliminated through service changes. Some of the routes have been replaced with CATAGO microtransit service, including Bellefonte, Boalsburg, Pine Grove Mills, Pleasant Gap, and Cato Park.

Fare Information

CATA uses three different payment options for fares: cash, tokens, or passes. Tokens can be purchased using credit or debit cards, cash, or LionCash (only at the CATA Customer Service Center on Beaver Avenue). Tokens cost $2.20 each or $42 for a roll of 20 tokens. Tokens can be purchased on the Penn State Campus at the HUB-Robeson Center Information Desk, Findlay Commons Desk, Pollock Commons Desk, Redifer Commons Desk, Warnock Commons Desk, and White Course Commons Desk. Tokens can also be purchased in downtown State College at the Student Book Store, McLanahan's Student Store, and the CATA Customer Service Center. Passes can be purchased as a day pass on the Token Transit app or as a OnePass through CATA.

• $2.20 for each bus route (excluding the Blue Loop, White Loop, and Red Link).
• Senior citizens 65 and older: Free
• Individuals with disabilities: Half Fare ($1.10)

Fleet

CATA operates 71 buses for its fixed routes. CATA also has 8 Paratransit mini-buses and 45 vans for vanpools.

Retired Fleet

CNG Buses

In the summer of 2009, Orlando, FL's Central Florida's Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX) donated 10 35' New Flyer buses to CATA. These buses were donated because of CATA's extensive knowledge of CNG powered systems. These buses are most frequently seen on the lower capacity routes, although they occasionally appear on the N, V, R, and NV routes. These buses replaced the six Gillig Phantoms in CATA's fleet.

Future Enhancements

Bus Replacement Project

In January 2008, CATA officially received $1.4 million in federal funding earmarks through the Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill for the 2008 fiscal year. With these funds, CATA will begin a fleet replacement project where 10 of the 16 Orion buses will be replaced with newer low-floor CNG-powered models. Following that, the remaining six buses will eventually be replaced with 4 articulated buses to accommodate the demand on the N, R, and V routes during rush-hour on weekdays as well as Penn State football games and other high-profile events.

References

1. ^ "HISTORY – Overview on the history of the Centre Area Transportation Authority". Archived from the original on 2006-09-04. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
2. "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
3. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
4. "CATA Joint Articles of Agreement – February 5, 1982" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-09-04.
5. ^ "CATA Compressed Natural Gas Program". Retrieved 2020-09-04.
6. "Alternative Fuel Considerations for Fleet Applications". Retrieved 2020-09-09.
7. "CATAlog-October 2007". Archived from the original on 2007-10-29. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
8. "CATAlog-March 2008". Archived from the original on 2008-09-07. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
9. "General Information – Service & Fleet Information and Operating Statistics". Archived from the original on 2006-11-18. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
10. "2024 Summer Circulator Route". Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA). Retrieved 2024-05-06.
11. Romage, Sara (2024-02-05). "Temporary service restored on CC Route between CATO Park and Downtown". Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA). Retrieved 2024-05-06.
12. "FSM_23_24-scaled.jpg".
13. "Fare Options and Information". Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA). Retrieved 2024-05-06.
14. "CENTRE AREA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY SPECIAL BOARD MEETING MINUTES - January 27, 2015". Archived from the original on 2015-03-15. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
15. "Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA): Interior Bus Card and Exterior Bus Tail and Full Bus Wrap Advertising Program" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-03-16. Retrieved 2015-02-27.
16. "CATABUS on Instagram: "Wow! Very cool! @csouth28_photography "So yesterday I bought a bus from the good people of CATA. It's a 1998 NFI C40LF bus number 80. I…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved 2019-08-23.
17. "New buses bring new routes". Archived from the original on 2009-07-25. Retrieved 2009-09-05.

• https://catabus.com/about-cata/
• APTA Ridership Statistics
• https://web.archive.org/web/20080518004742/http://www.catabus.com/CATAlogApril2008.htm#Fall2008ServiceChanges

External links

• Centre Area Transportation Authority – official site.

• Bus transportation in Pennsylvania
• State College, Pennsylvania
• Municipal authorities in Pennsylvania
• Transportation in Centre County, Pennsylvania
• Government of Centre County, Pennsylvania