WHITE LOOP service extended into early weekend hours for Spring semester

The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA), in partnership with the Penn State Office of Transportation Services and the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), will be extending WHITE LOOP service into the early morning hours on a trial basis each weekend during the Spring Semester.

UPUA has made the request for later LOOP hours as an alternative to an earlier “Highlands Loop” proposal, and with the aim of providing safe transportation service to those students who are out later than the buses would normally be on the street.  Service on the WHITE LOOP will be extended two hours Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights throughout the semester, offering service across Campus and into Downtown State College until approximately 4:00 AM, with buses running every 8 – 10 minutes. 

“The partnership between CATA, Penn State and UPUA provides a mechanism for us to provide, on a trial basis, the often-requested transportation for students who stay out after the service previously ended at 2:00 AM,” notes Hugh Mose, CATA's General Manager.   “Whether students are out with friends for the evening, or find themselves traveling late at night for other reasons – working late, studying, etc. - this extension provides an opportunity for reliable and safe travel well into the early hours of the morning.”

The trial enhancement will begin on Thursday, January 14 (actually, early the following  morning), and will continue through the end of the semester;  however, CATA and Penn State reserve the right to discontinue service at any point in time based on their ongoing evaluation of the service.  At the end of the trial period, a decision will be made to either continue the trial, incorporate the trial into regular CATA service or end the program altogether.  Metrics that will be considered will include ridership during the extended hours, instances of inappropriate rider behavior, and feedback received from riders and others, as well as any increases in alcohol-related incidents, criminal reports or arrests.   Notes Mose, “With this service enhancement comes an additional responsibility for students who might choose to ride after consuming alcohol, and the actions of those individuals will be taken into consideration with regard to whether or not the trial service becomes permanent.”

The additional service is funded in part by UPUA through an agreement with the University administration to extend its existing transportation contract with CATA. Part of the funds required, an estimated $12,000, will come from allocations previously set aside for the Highlands Loop proposal, and additional sources of funding. 

During this trial period the last White Loop bus will leave downtown for Campus from the Schlow Library/CATA office stop two hours later (approximately 4:10 a.m.) than during the Fall Semester (approximately 2:10 a.m.). Click here to view the revised Loop & Link schedule that shows shows the extended service hours and the times for the last trip.

IM Building White Loop stop to remain closed after 10 p.m.

Riders are also reminded that the White Loop bus stop at the Intramural Building, which is located just before the East Halls bus stop, will continue to be closed every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night 10:00 p.m. - 12 midnight during Spring Semester. This is to assist with orderly and consistent boarding opportunities for riders using the White loop from the East Halls area.