|
Announcements |
| CATA
soliciting interior bus advertising proposals |
|
CATA’s current interior
bus advertising agreement with Lamar Advertising expires on June
30, 2008. CATA is currently soliciting proposals for the continued
sale and servicing of that space in the Authority’s fifty
full-sized transit buses beginning July 1, 2008. Note that the requested
proposals are for interior bus advertising only. CATA does not at
this time allow for advertising on the exterior of its buses or
on its bus shelters or benches.
Detailed information on CATA’s
services, service area and bus fleet may are available on this website
at http://www.catabus.com/acgeninfo.htm
or can be obtained by contacting Jacqueline
Sheader, CATA Marketing Manager, at (814) 238-2282 ext 141,
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Completed and signed proposals
must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2008 to:
Jacqueline
Sheader, CATA Marketing Manager
Centre Area Transportation Authority
2081 West Whitehall Road
State College PA 16801
Proposals must be hand-delivered or mailed, and any received after
the deadline will not be considered.
Link
to Request For Proposals document in pdf format
|
|
| CATA
Spring Break Service Schedule |
| In observance of the
upcoming break in the Penn State Spring Semester that will take
place Monday, March 10, through Friday, March 14, CATA’s CENTRE
LINE, CENTRE RIDE, LOOP, and LINK services will operate on a reduced
service schedule as noted below.
- All CENTRE LINE and CENTRE RIDE
service will operate on Reduced Service Monday, March 10, through
Sunday, March 16. Full Service will resume on all routes Monday,
March 17.
- There will be no LOOP or LINK service
Saturday, March 8, Sunday, March 9 or Saturday, March 15. The
LOOP and LINK will operate on Reduced Service Monday, March 10,
through Friday, March 14. (Please note that the WHITE LOOP and
GREEN LINK do not operate during these times). Full Service on
the LOOP and LINK will resume on Sunday, March 16.
Those planning to fly out of the University
Park Airport during this period of time are reminded that the P
Route provides convenient service from Downtown State College
to the Airport, Monday through Friday.
|
|
| CATA
Implements Community Vanpool Program, Incorporates Penn State Vans |
| Effective
October 1 the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is expanding
its “family of public transportation services” by introducing
vanpools to the RideShare program, CATA’s carpool matching
service.
RideShare, in
operation since 1999, brings together people traveling from or through
the same communities to work in the Centre Region, and helps them
establish carpools. “The RideShare program has proven itself
to be a great success,” notes Terri Quici, CATA’s RideShare
Coordinator. “Today, the RideShare participant list includes
over 500 individuals and more than 200 active carpools, coming into
the State College area from eleven counties throughout central Pennsylvania.”
As the first
step in the creation of CATA’s new community-wide vanpool
service, Penn State and CATA have agreed to transition six existing
faculty/staff vanpools to the new initiative. For almost twenty
years Penn State has made vans available to groups of University
employees commuting long distances. Currently vanpool groups originate
in the Moshannon Valley, Lewistown, Altoona and Tyrone areas. With
Penn State and CATA working together, the new arrangement will enable
commuters traveling in or out of the Centre Region to participate
in the program.
The new vanpool
initiative has been made possible by funding from the federal Congestion
Management / Air Quality (CMAQ) program, for which the Centre Region
became eligible this year. The Centre County Metropolitan Planning
Organization allocated funds to the new program, in response to
a request by CATA, as a small step towards reducing traffic congestion
and air pollution. Over the course of the coming months, additional
vanpools will be added, as rider interest develops and funding becomes
available.
According to
Hugh Mose, CATA General Manager, “We have wanted to add vanpools
to our carpool matching program since the late 1990’s, but
until the funding became available, it just wasn’t possible.
Now, as a result of the funding allocated by the Centre County Metropolitan
Planning Organization we are able to get the program started, and
thanks to the cooperation and support of the University, we are
able to jump start it with the six existing Penn State vans.
Carpooling and
vanpooling are cost-effective alternatives for long-distance commuters,
who can enjoy the savings and convenience of sharing a ride to work.
Persons interested in participating in a car- or vanpool may self-register
on the CATA website, www.catabus.com. For more information on the
RideShare Program, please visit the CATA website or contact Terri
Quici, CATA RideShare Coordinator, at (814) 238-CATA(2282) ext.
134 or rideshare@catabus.com.
|
|
| Weekend
Bus Trips to Happy Valley |
| Whether
it’s been a week, a year, or since you graduated, it’s
always a great time to come back to State College and enjoy
Penn State. And now it’s easier than ever. The
Big Apple Express bus leaves from New York City every weekend
and takes you right into State College. The bus leaves at
8:00 p.m. every Friday from the Port Authority and doesn’t
leave State College until 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. It’s
an easy, convenient, and fun way to revisit your alma mater.
Departure and arrival times may vary due to weather and traffic
conditions.
Spend
the weekend walking downtown or on campus, hike through the
beautiful surrounding areas, or go to a sporting event. So
much has changed, yet the small, college town charm still
remains.
|
 |
| Order
your tickets now. Tickets can be purchased at the Bus Depot
at 152 North Atherton Street in State College or by calling
814-238-1100 or 814-238-7971. Online ticket purchases are not
yet available. People
with disabilities are asked to call 800-942-8287 to coordinate
accessibility needs up to 48 hours in advance. This new express
service will run for a trial period during the fall and spring
semesters. Success of the service will determine whether the
express will continue next year. Visit www.transportation.psu.edu/psu2nyc
for more information.
|
|
|
| Bus
Stop Sign Replacement project |
In
the spring of 2006, CATA staff began a project that would replace
its bus stop signs throughout its CENTRE LINE system (a total
of over 700 stops) with new, stylish updated signs more depictive
of CENTRE LINE service. Signs include a pictograph of a CENTRE
LINE bus, along with telephone and website contact information.
Concurrently, staff put into place a formal policy guiding both
the look and location of all of its bus stops - a policy centering
on the evaluation of the look and materials used for the entire
stop designation (posts, position of sign, infoholder, etc.),
specific placement of each bus stop, safety and ADA (Americans
With Disabilities Act) issues. As a result, riders will now
find themselves waiting for the bus below brand new weather-resistant
reflective signs located closer to lights and sidewalks, a specific
distance from roads, etc.
|
 |
The
completion of the project in the early Fall will mark the first
time that CATA has replaced its bus stop signs in over fifteen
years.
|
|
|
| CATA
2007 Customer Satisfaction Survey Result |
Every
three years, transit entities of CATA’s size are required
by Act 3 of 1997 to conduct a Customer Satisfaction Survey. This
survey, which was conducted across the CATA system in the late
Spring, is designed to provide transit riders with an opportunity
to offer feedback on how a transit authority is doing in terms
of service, fares, customer service and other aspects. Surveys
were conducted on-board selected routes and were also available
at both of CATA’s offices (108 E. Beaver Avenue and 2081
W. Whitehall Road, State College) and on the CATA website at www.catabus.com.
Special thanks to all of the CATA riders who participated in the
Authority’s Customer Satisfaction Survey. The information
gathered shows that the vast majority of riders continue to be
"satisfied" or "very satisfied" overall with
the services provided by the Authority. The entire list of results
of the survey may be found here in pdf format.
complete
survey results
Congratulations, too, to Diana Au of State College, who signed
up to receive CATA’s TRANSITions email newsletter and was
the random winner of a $50.00 Nittany Mall Gift Card .
Anyone with questions regarding these survey results may contact
Jacqueline Sheader, CATA Marketing Manager, at (814) 238-2282
ext. 141 or jsheader@catabus.com.
|
| Curtin
Road Transit Project |
|
|
Riders
frequenting the Pattee Library bus stop on Campus may have
noticed that construction has begun in the area and may
wonder just what’s happening at the now closed stop.
The answer: the Curtin Road Transit Center project has officially
gotten underway.
Once completed in mid-August, the transit center will allow
enough pull-off space to accommodate three eastbound and
three westbound buses (allowing vehicles to pass them when
they are stopped) and will introduce a number of new rider
and pedestrian amenities like enlarged, custom-designed
bus shelters, walkways, lighting and benches; new landscaping
and increased green space; and improved ADA access of the
Fisher Plaza area. The result will be a decrease in congestion
on Curtin Road and improved safety for riders, pedestrians
and vehicular traffic.
The transit center project, which will cost an estimated
$2.5 million, is being funded by the University’s
Department of Transportation Services and an earmark secured
for CATA by Congressman John Peterson with the support of
Pennsylvania’s two Senators. All told, the University
will be providing about $2 million of the funds and CATA
will then provide the remaining $495,000 with its earmark.
CATA has been assisting Penn State with the project for
several years. Because the majority of our CENTRE LINE buses
traverse Curtin Road throughout the day, alleviating congestion
will be beneficial to both CATA and the University. We are
certain that our riders will find this addition to the CATA
system beneficial as well.
Construction began May 21 and will continue through mid-August.
As a result of this work and a number of other construction
projects in full swing across Campus, the majority of CATA’s
routes (all routes, including the LOOP and LINK, with the
exception of the X Route) will be affected and will operate
on detours. For additional information on this project and
on the status of bus route detours across Campus, please
call (814) 238-2282.
Curtin
Road transit project offers safety, convenience to public-transportation
patrons
Penn
State Live (5/18/07)
|
|
|
| Passengers
55 and Older Ride Free to the Adult Health and Lifestyle Expo May
17th |
| Area
residents, age 55 and older, can enjoy a free bus ride to the Nittany
Mall to attend the Adult Health and Lifestyle Expo on Thursday,
May 17 (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.). CATA normally provides free rides
for senior citizens age 65 and older with a Senior Transit Identification
Card; however, during this event the Authority will provide free
rides for those 55 and older. These free rides are for CENTRE LINE
routes only and include all routes to accommodate anyone needing
to use a combination of routes to reach their destination. Passengers
55 and older without a Senior Transit Identification Card will be
required to show the driver one proof of age to ride free (driver’s
license, Pennsylvania Identification Card, birth certificate, etc.).
For more information on the Adult Health and Lifestyle Expo, please
contact the Nittany Mall at (814) 238-8038. For more information
on CATA’s services and the benefits it provides to local senior
citizens, please call (814) 238-CATA(2282).
|
|
| CATA
OnePasses now available by mail |
| If
you already have a OnePass, you
can now order your next pass by mail. Click on this link
for the order form, which includes instructions and must be completed
and mailed to CATA with your payment. You may copy the form for
future orders or print a new one each time. Please call CATA at
814-238-2282 x450 if you have questions about how to order a pass
by mail.
|
|
| Downtown
Office Open for First Night®! |
CATA will
be opening the doors of its Downtown Pass Sales Office (located
at 108 East Beaver Avenue, below the newly remodeled Schlow Centre
Region Library) to those participating in First Night® State
College activities. The Office, conveniently located on the CATA
First Night Shuttle route, will remain open from approximately 6:00
p.m. until 11:00 p.m. to provide a warm respite from the weather
- and FREE HOT CHOCOLATE! Restroom facilities will also be available.
First
Night Shuttle service schedule
|
|
| B
Route Transports Skiers to Tussey Mountain |
The Centre
Area Transportation Authority’s (CATA) B Route serving Boalsburg
provides local skiers with an inexpensive way to get to and from
Tussey Mountain during the winter months. The route operates Monday
through Friday and on Saturday from the corner of College Avenue
and Allen Street in Downtown State College.
Starting on Tuesday, January 16, and lasting through Friday, March
9, CATA will extend its B Route service to accommodate the demand
for service to Tussey Mountain during ski season. In addition
to its regularly scheduled trips, the B Route will provide an
extra trip from College & Allen to Tussey Mountain leaving
at approximately 5:55 p.m., Monday through Friday. An additional
express trip from Tussey to College & Allen will also run,
leaving at 10:30 p.m.
For more information
on this extended service, please refer to the B
Route service schedule in the Spring/Summer 2007 CATA Ride
Guide or call (814) 238-CATA(2282).
|
|
| Fullington
Trailways to Provide Altoona Residents With Weekday “Rush-hour” Service
to State College |
Fullington
Trailways, based in State College and Clearfield, Pennsylvania, announced
that it will soon begin providing round-trip bus service between the
Altoona/Tyrone area and Downtown State College and the Pennsylvania
State University.
The service, beginning after the start of the year, will make connections
with the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) bus service in
State College and will allow passengers to continue on Fullington
Trailways and Greyhound intercity bus service to Wilkes-Barre or Harrisburg,
where they may then connect to other cities throughout the country.
It is anticipated that these new daily trips will provide convenient
transportation to employees and students who travel to the State College
area during the week, and, additionally, will provide improved intercity
morning bus service to people in the Altoona/Tyrone area.
“We feel that this is a long overdue service that will greatly
benefit area residents,” notes Milt Weisman, Fullington Director
of Intercity Coach Services. “Persons in Altoona who make the
hour-long trek into State College on a daily basis will now have some
relief from the high costs of fuel, the “wear and tear”
on their vehicles, and the stress of driving. And, when you are a
frequent rider, the round-trip fare is less than $12.00 per day, 52%
off the regular fare.”
“This service can be a critical component for both our regional
economic development strategy focused on the I-99 Innovation Corridor,
as well as our urban redevelopment strategies,” said Stephen
McKnight, Altoona Blair County Development Corporation’s Director
of Corporate Services. “Intercity transportation services such
as this have been proven to be popular and sustainable in many other
regions of country. We are pleased to help market this service and
see it as an important step in bringing the Centre region closer to
Blair County,” McKnight added.
Taking advantage of this new service will allow drivers to save approximately
$150 in fuel and as much as $80 in parking costs each month. In addition,
someone who switches to the bus for his or her daily commute could
save nearly 20,000 miles of “wear-and-tear” annually on
their automobile. It may also be possible for riders to save on their
auto insurance premiums if their vehicle is now considered “personal
use.” Not only that, there are other pluses – for instance,
a full bus will keep 50 cars off the road! As if these benefits weren't
enough, riders will have the ability to actually enjoy their trip
and use the found time to work, read or sleep while riding in a comfortable
and safe Fullington Trailways motor coach.
For additional information on this new intercity bus service, including
exact origins and destinations, fares, etc., please visit the Fullington
Trailways website at http://www.fullingtontours.com/fulltours/website/info/altoona_state.stm
or contact Milt Weisman, Director of Intercity Coach Services at (814)
765-7871 or milt@fullingtontours.com.
|
|
| Homecoming
Parade Detours |
| The
annual Pennsylvania State University’s Homecoming Parade is
scheduled to take place on Friday, October 20, 2006, at approximately
6:00 p.m. As a result of road closings across Campus during the parade,
changes will be made to the CENTRE LINE, the BLUE and WHITE LOOP,
and the RED and GREEN LINK routes between approximately 5:20 p.m.
and 9:30 p.m. The following locations are some of the areas that will
be partially or totally inaccessible for the duration of the parade:
College Avenue, Burrowes Road, Curtin Road, Pollock Road, Bigler Road,
and Shortlidge Road. There will be no service to East Halls, the I.M.
Building, the Shields Building, the McCoy Natatorium, Bigler Road,
Pollock Road, Hastings Road from University Drive to Bigler, Shortlidge
Road between Pollock Road and College Avenue, College Avenue between
Shortlidge Road and Burrowes Road, Burrowes Road between College Avenue
and Pollock Road.
The following is an abbreviated
list of detours and schedule changes for outbound trips (trips heading
from Campus to another destination).
- A,
B, H, K, M, N, N/V EXPRESS, P, R, UT, V, W Routes and the WHITE
LOOP, GREEN LINK and RED LINK will make detours that will serve
all of their regularly scheduled routes with the exception of
those stops listed above.
- The
R EXPRESS will not operate on its last trip, regularly scheduled
for 5:58 p.m.
-
A single BLUE LOOP will operate from Stadium East at the Bryce
Jordan Center and will travel from there to Porter, Hastings,
University Drive to Curtin Road.
- The
C, F, S, and X Routes will not be affected by the detours. (Please
expect delays, however, on the X Route in making a connection
with the M Route).
Additional
information regarding times and detours (including specific route
information) will be available right
here starting Wednesday, October 18 or by calling (814) 238-CATA
(2282).
|
| Support
PA Transit Day Thursday - June 21 |
| In
Central Pennsylvania CATA provides more than 6.1 million
rides annually. That’s an average of about 32,000
rides each weekday – rides taken to work, school,
medical appointments, to see friends and family. Our community
would be lost without it. |
|
|
You’ve
no doubt read about it in the newspaper or heard about it on
radio or television – today, public transportation in
Pennsylvania is in crisis. Over the years, state funding for
transit has failed to keep pace with inflation, causing transit
systems, large and small, to cut service and raise fares. If
nothing is done to resolve the situation within the coming year,
CATA, too, will be put in a position where it will need to discontinue
important services and/or raise fares.
As a result of the funding crisis, the Pennsylvania Public Transportation
Association (PPTA) has designated this Thursday, June 21, “Support
PA Transit Day.” Support PA Transit Day is a statewide
advocacy day on behalf of public transportation which emphasizes
its benefits and importance and encourages increased support
of public transportation funding, particularly at the state
level. On this day, residents are encouraged to learn more about
the situation and contact their legislators, letting them know
just how important transit is to them and to the betterment
of their community.
For additional information on the state funding crisis, those
interested are encouraged to visit the Department of Transportation’s
website devoted solely to the crisis and possible resolutions
at www.rideonpa.org and/or the Pennsylvania Public Transportation
Association’s (PPTA) website at www.ppta.net. |
|
|
| CATA
FY 2007/2008 Service Standards to be considered at May 21 Board meeting |
|
The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA)
Board of Directors will consider adoption of its 2007/2008 Service
Standards at the May 212, 2007 Board meeting. The public will be
given an opportunity to comment on the standards at this meeting
prior to any action by the Board. Copies of the proposed service
standards are currently available at the CATA Administration Office,
2081 W. Whitehall Road, State College, PA 16801, 814-238-2282, or
in pdf format below.
As required, CATA has submitted these proposed goals to PENNDOT
for their review and comment. Before the standards can be adopted
in final form though, the general public must be afforded an opportunity
to comment on them. That comment has been invited by means of a
public notice in the Centre Daily Times on Monday May 7announcing
the separate public hearing on the proposed Service Standards at
the beginning of the Board
meeting which will held at 4:00 PM at the State College
Borough Building, Room 241, 243 S. Allen Street, State College,
PA.
Prior to the start of the State’s fiscal year (July 1), each Act
26 urban (Class 1, 2, and 3) and rural (Class 4) transit grant recipient
is required to adopt a series of Service Standards and Performance
Measures. The standards are established by PENNDOT and each grant
recipient sets their own specific objectives or numeric performance
levels to be achieved in meeting those service standards. The CATA
staff has evaluated the current year’s performance and adjusted
several of the coming year’s goals. Those goals for FY (Fiscal Year)
2007/2008 are shown in the last column of the Thirteen-Year Performance
Review (below) which documents the Authority’s performance over
the twelve previous years, projects performance for this current
year and shows the proposed goals for next year. (The goals that
CATA staff proposes to change from our current FY goals are shaded
in gray.)
|
|
|
| Libraries
and ITS Partner to Offer Late-Night LOOP Bus Service |
To
accommodate end-of-semester study needs, operating hours throughout
Pattee and Paterno Libraries will be extended until 2:00 a.m.
Concurrently, the University Libraries and ITS (Information
Technology Services) are partnering to sponsor extended CATA
LOOP service to help students and others return to their apartments,
residence halls, or homes, after these late-night study hours. |
|
|
| During
the semester, bus service on the BLUE and the WHITE LOOP ends at
12:30 a.m., Sunday through Wednesday, and at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday,
Friday, and Saturday. The sponsorship will extend one bus on each
of the routes on Wednesday April 30th and then also on Sunday May
4th through Wednesday May 7th. Since service normally already operates
until 2:30 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays during the semester,
this arrangement will mean the LOOP service will operate
until 2:30 a.m. every night from Wednesday April 30th through Friday
May 9th, 2008 to help those staying late at the Libraries,
or working in the ITS 24-hour computer labs, to make it safely home.
A
special timetable is provided below showing when the additional
Sunday - Wednesday service operates. Note that the special service
will operate approximately every 20 minutes with the
last trip leaving from the Pattee Library stop on Curtin Road at
approximately 2:21 a.m. on the Blue Loop and from the stop across
the street at approximately 2:15 a.m. on the White Loop. |
| |
Since it was first offered at
the end of Spring semester 2002, more than 8,000 riders have been
served during the extended service hours.
"We're delighted that ITS continues to partner with us on this
venture. Both the Libraries and the ITS computer labs are used heavily
by students at the end of the semester. Since students tend to be
nocturnal in their work habits, a late night bus service is appropriate.
The buses are not only convenient for students, but also an important
security consideration, especially in the early hours of the morning,"
said Sally Kalin, associate dean of the University Park Libraries.
For
more information on Libraries hours during finals week, visit http://www.libraries.psu.edu/hours/special.html#study
or call 814-865-3063. For information on ITS computer labs, visit
http://clc.its.psu.edu/labs/Locations/ |
|
|
|
| 24
hour LOOP service THON weekend |
| During
THON 2008
weekend Both the BLUE LOOP and WHITE LOOP routes will continue
to operate between 2:30 - 9:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings
when service normally does not operate. The additional service
means the BLUE and WHITE LOOP will operate continuously
for the 48 hour period between 6:00 p.m. Friday, February 22
and 6:00 p.m. Sunday, February 24 at the scheduled
frequency shown in the table below.
|
| |
| |
|
CATA
Annual Public Hearing will be held at February 25 Board Meeting |
|
The Centre Area Transportation Authority Board
of Directors will hold a Public Hearing in conjunction with
the February 25, 2007 Board of
Directors meeting. This meeting will be held at 4:00 PM
in the State College Borough Council Chambers, State College
Municipal Building, 243 S. Allen Street, State College, PA.
This
Public Hearing is an annual event aimed at gathering community
ideas and input (i.e., public suggestions for service improvements,
route changes, fares & pass structure, performance standards,
etc.) regarding local public mass transportation services.
Anyone
who wishes to participate should plan to attend. If you can
not attend, but wish to have your suggestions or viewpoints
presented at the Public Hearing, please forward your comments
to:
L. Eric Bernier, Service
Development Manager
Centre Area Transportation Authority
2081 W. Whitehall Road, State College, PA 16801. |
|
| Special
Express service to/from Tussey starts Monday January 16 |
The
special 5:55 p.m. outbound and 10:30 p.m. inbound
B Route express trips will begin operating every
weekday from Monday, January 16 and through
Friday, February 24. These trips operates during
this time to help accommodate the increased
ridership resulting from both the start of ski
season and the two different a six-week long
Kinesiology classes hosted at Tussey Mt.
|
 |
|
PSU students using the B Route service to get to the
Penn State Ski classes this semester (Kinesiology 11
and 12) are eligible for a special B Route bus pass
that those students can use to ride back and forth to
their class fare-free the day of their class.
CATA B Route drivers will honor the special Tussey issued
passes as free bus passes on the day of your class (day
shown on the front of the pass) for the six week period
from Saturday, January 14, 2006 through Friday February
24, 2006.
Note
that the special 5:55 p.m. express trip, which arrives
at Tussey between 6:15-6:20, is direct service to Tussey
from downtown and campus and is the trip Kinesiology
class students should use. The 5:25 and 6:25 p.m. trips
are also available (as all of the trip are), but they
are less direct, longer trips, arriving at Tussey at
6:01 and 6:58 p.m. respectively.
Special
B Route pass will be issued to students by Tussey staff
the first day of class. |
|
| |
|
|
| CATA
To Celebrate Communities In Motion Day |
 |
CATA
invites its passengers and supporters to join in
its celebration of the American Public Transportation
Association’s (APTA) “Communities in
Motion Day,” scheduled to take place here
in CATA’s service area on
Thursday, October 5, 2006
108 E. Beaver Avenue
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Giveaways! Prizes! Refreshments!
3WZ
Live Remote from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.!
Register
to Win a Spring Semester Pass!
|
|
Communities
In Motion Day is designed to build support for public transportation
by educating individual communities and decision-makers about
public transportation’s role in providing freedom, access,
opportunity, and choice. While transit clearly benefits those
who use it, “Communities in Motion” emphasizes the
fact that even larger benefits accrue to all citizens in the
form of economic development, reduced congestion, more livable
communities and cleaner air.
A variety of events will take place throughout the day at CATA’s
Downtown Pass Sales Office, located at 108 E. Beaver Avenue,
on the ground floor of the Schlow Centre Region Library. All
are encouraged to stop by the new office for refreshments, free
promotional materials, a live 3WZ radio remote between 2:00
p.m. and 4:00 p.m., and a chance to win a Spring Semester OnePass
and other great CATA prizes! Throughout the day, too, CATA staff
will distribute t-shirts and other promotional items on board
buses as a “thank you” to riders. Join us and learn
just how public transportation benefits those in our community!
In addition to a full range of “Communities in Motion”
activities, CATA will also be partnering with 3WZ to participate
in a national “The Fabric That Connects” promotion,
a national program through which CATA employees, riders and
the community are encouraged to donate new or gently used blankets
which will be donated to the Salvation Army, just in time for
the holidays. Anyone or any group wishing to donate blankets
to this effort may drop them off at either CATA office or at
the 3WZ office (863 Benner Pike) now through Tuesday, October
31.
|
|
|
| CATA
Downtown Pass Sales Office Relocated |
CATA’s
new Downtown State College Pass Sales Office has opened its
doors at 108 E. Beaver Avenue, on the ground floor of the new
Schlow Centre Region Library.
The new facility, much larger than CATA’s current office,
includes a number of customer and staff amenities, such as an
indoor passenger waiting area, a heated vestibule accessible
24 hours a day, public restrooms and an employee lunchroom.
Efforts are currently under way, too, to further improve the
bus stop area in front of the office to include overhead shelter,
benches, enhanced signage and improved pedestrian amenities. |
 |
Plans for this new transit center were first announced in September
2003 when Congressman John Peterson secured an "earmark"
in the FY 2003/04 Transportation Appropriations Bill. This transit
funding, which was also endorsed by U.S. Senators Specter and Santorum,
supported not only the costs associated with the CATA facility, but
also certain other portions of the overall Library.
A grand opening celebration will take place on Monday, October 24,
in conjunction with Communities in Motion Day (for additional information
on Communities In Motion Day, please visit the CATA website at www.catabus.com).
“We at CATA applaud the Schlow Library staff and Board of Trustees
on the completion of the magnificent new Centre Region Library,”
says CATA General Manager Hugh Mose. “We feel fortunate to have
been given the opportunity to be part of the project, and through
it to be able to provide CATA’s riders and the supporting public
with a new transit center and pass sales office.”
Please note that CATA’s former Downtown Pass Sales
Office, located at 127 S. Fraser Street, closed permanently on Thursday,
October 13, at 5:00 p.m. For
additional information on the moving of the CATA
Downtown Pass Sales Office, please call the CATA office at (814)
238-CATA(2282). For additional information on the services that
CATA provides to the public, please refer to Fall/Winter 2005 CATA
Ride Guide, which can be found on all CATA buses and throughout
the community, visit the CATA website at www.catabus.com, or call
(814) 238-CATA(2282). |
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| BLUE
LOOP Service to Operate Saturday night for Modified Madness |
| 
|
| CATA
will operate BLUE LOOP service on Saturday evening, May 21, from 6:10
p.m. - 12:10 a.m. The Saturday evening service, sponsored by Modified
Madness and Penn State Transportation Services, will mirror CATA’s
usual Friday evening summer service in that it will leave the Jordan
Center stop every 20 minutes at :10, :30 & :50 after the hour and
it will leave downtown from College & Allen at :18, :38 & :58 after
the hour. This additional service will allow for consistent 20-minute
downtown/campus circulator service both Friday and Saturday evenings
for those attending the Modified Madness custom auto show and event
scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, May 21 and 22. For additional information
on CATA’s additional Saturday Service on Saturday, May 21call (814)
238-CATA(2282). For additional information on the Modified Madness
Car Show, please visit the Bryce Jordan Center website at www.bjc.com.
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| CATA’s
Summer Youth Pass Offers Area Youths Summer Freedom |
| Due
to positive response last year, CATA will again offer a three-month
summer OnePass to middle and high school students aged 12-17
for a deeply discounted cost of only $49.00 (a $147.00 value).
The pass offers unlimited access to all of CATA’s Centre Line
routes June 1, 2005, through August 31, 2005. High school
students must present a high school identification card to
qualify for the pass. Middle school students without school
identification must present a statement signed by a parent
to verify age and middle school attendance. |
|
|
| “We
look at the Summer Youth Pass as not
only great transportation for the area’s youth, but a great way
to expose kids to alternative transportation,” notes CATA Marketing
Manager, Jacqueline Sheader. “The goal of the program is to enhance
opportunities for students by providing them with inexpensive travel
to access employment, recreational facilities, area libraries, and
retail facilities.” Summer Youth Passes go on sale June 1, 2005,
and are available for purchase at either CATA office (2081 West
Whitehall Road and 127 South Fraser Street). The first 40 students
to purchase a Summer Youth Pass will receive a free gift, a free
30 minute Verizon telephone card, and discounts to local businesses!
For additional information, please call the CATA
offices at (814) 238-CATA(2282). |
|
| |
| April
Board Meeting Rescheduled |
|
The Centre Area Transportation Authority’s (CATA)
regular April Board of Directors Meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
Monday, April 25, has been rescheduled and will now take place at
4:00 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at the State College Municipal Building.
For additional information, please call (814) 238-CATA (2282).
|
|
| CATA
Annual Public Hearing Postponed |
|
As a result of forecasted inclement weather conditions,
the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) Board of Directors
meeting and Public Hearing originally scheduled for Monday February
28 has been postponed until Wednesday, March 2, at
4:00 p.m. in the State College Borough Council Chambers
of the State College Municipal Building, 243 South Allen Street,
State College.
|
|
| CATA
Service Changes currently under consideration |
| The
transit funding crisis that has already beset the Southeastern Pennsylvania
Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia and Port Authority
Transit (PAT) in Pittsburgh will soon affect almost every other transit
system in the Commonwealth including CATA. Without both a dedicated
and a predictable source of funding for Pennsylvania transit systems,
CATA and all the other transit agencies across the State, will face
the same budget balancing crisis. General Operating subsides from
the State have not kept pace with increased operating cost and most
systems have responded by cutting service over the years. CATA has
been able to hold off major service cuts for the past several years
by utilizing their budget surplus. That surplus is now gone.
We at CATA are hopeful that the Administration and
the Legislature in Harrisburg will be able to engineer a new transit
funding mechanism that will allow systems like CATA to not only
maintain its current service levels but respond to expanding needs
in a growing community like State College. The CATA staff has begun
work on the Authority's Fiscal Year 2005/2006 Budget, which takes
affect on July 1, and if there is no relief on the horizon, we will
be faced with extremely difficult choices.
If a solution to the Transit Funding issue in Pennsylvania
is not reached by early March, staff will have no choice but to
create a service plan for next year that scales back services (and
possibly raises fares) by the amount necessary to balance costs
with the limited resources we currently have available to us. Absent
the funding needed to balance our budget the CATA staff is considering
the following combination of service cuts and additional sources
of revenue:
Expense reductions under consideration:
• The elimination of all weekday evening and all
Saturday service on the H, W and P Routes.
• The elimination of the midday trip on the A, C, F and S
Routes.
• The elimination of some of the midday trips and some of
the Saturday service on the B and X Routes.
• The elimination of Sunday service on the M Route during
Reduced Service .
• Starting Saturday and Sunday morning service later on the
N, R and V Routes.
• Reducing frequency on the Friday and Saturday evening N,
R and V Route service.
Additional Revenue possibilities under consideration:
• Asking the Authority’s local member municipalities
for increased funding support.
• Requesting larger payments from the Authority’s private
sector contract partners such as Penn State and some local Apartment
Complexes.
• Consider selling exterior bus advertising.
• Raise fares and the cost of passes.
The Centre Area Transportation
Authority (CATA) Board of Directors will hold its annual public
hearing on service changes in conjunction with its February
Board Meeting scheduled for Monday, February 28, 2005, (moved
to Wednesday March 2) at 4:00 p.m. in the State
College Borough Council Chambers of the State College Municipal
Building, 243 South Allen Street, State College. This hearing is
an annual event aimed at gathering community ideas and input (i.e.
suggestions for service improvements, route changes, fare and pass
structure, performance standards, etc.) regarding local public transportation
services.
Anyone who wishes to present their suggestions or
comments on service, including the changes under consideration,
to the CATA Board should plan to attend. If you cannot attend, but
would like your suggestions and viewpoints expressed at the meeting,
please send them to:
L. Eric Bernier, Service Development
Manager
Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA)
2081 West Whitehall Road
State College, PA 16801
Suggestions and comments may also
be forwarded to Mr. Bernier via e-mail at dirsedev@catabus.com
or by telephone at (814) 238-2282, extension 140.
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| New
Bus Passes Start August 1 |
On
August 1 CATA will begin the conversion of its “flash”
passes to ones that are “swiped” through the top of the
farebox on each bus. Similar to the farecards in use on the New York
City subway and many other transit systems, these magnetic stripe
passes will require the customer to “swipe” the pass each
time they board, just like they might swipe a debit card to make a
purchase at the local supermarket.
While
this may not be as easy as simply holding up the pass for the Driver
to see, it will accomplish several important objectives. First, the
farebox will be able to detect whether a pass is valid or not; at
busy times it’s just impossible for a Bus Driver to visually
scrutinize every pass. Second, the farebox will accurately record
the type of pass; with almost twenty different passes in use at CATA,
this is something that has become increasingly difficult to do manually.
Third, and perhaps most important, the new system will thwart counterfeiting;
in this day and age, it’s become simply too easy to reproduce
a flash pass and defraud CATA of the bus fare. To
inconvenience riders as little as possible, the new passes will
be implemented gradually. CATA has already begun selling the new
magnetic stripe passes; however, the old style flash passes will
still be accepted until the end of August. As of September 1, CATA
expects all of its passes (except Senior Reduced Fare and Centre
Ride passes) to have been converted to the new style.
|
Before
you board have your bus pass in hand with the black stripe
facing you and the front of the pass facing the driver. That's
the way it goes through the farebox. |
|
When
you get to the farebox, quickly swipe your pass through the
top of the farebox from right to left (towards the rear of
the bus) in one smooth motion. There is a diagram on the top
of the farebox showing which way to hold it and which direction
to swipe it. |
|
If
the pass is valid, the farebox will beep the same as it does
now when the correct fare is paid. If the pass is not yet
valid, no longer valid because it has expired or no longer
valid because it has been replaced the farebox will not accept
it and you will be required to pay the fare. |
|
Altoona
to State College Commuter Service
|
AMTRAN
is studying the feasibility of work commuter service via motorcoach
between Altoona and State College beginning in 2005. They have posted
a survey
for prospective customers on their website at www.amtran.org
so that they can study travel patterns and begin service planning.
According to Eric Wolf, AMTRAN General Manager, “We envision two
trips in the morning and two in the afternoon Monday through Friday.
Commuters can relax and read the paper, or take a nap. Or if you
insist, you can get a little work done while we deal with the traffic
and congestion. We are investigating the technology necessary to
make the bus a moving hotspot so that you can check e-mail and surf
the internet at 65 miles per hour.”
AMTRAN officials hope to get people in the habit of riding the bus
now, so that when I-99 is completed in 2007, customers are so spoiled
that they don’t go back to their cars.
The service would probably be by subscription so commuters would
reserve and pay for their seat monthly regardless of usage. No subscription
rate has been proposed yet. Since AMTRAN does not currently own
over-the-road motorcoaches, the service would initially be subcontracted
to a private provider.
Part of the cost of the commuter service will be underwritten by
PennDOT’s Intercity Bus program. It will
not affect AMTRAN’s local transit service in any way. |
|
| CATA’s
new Cuddle Buses are now available for purchase |
 |
Join
CATA in celebrating its upcoming 30th anniversary with this high
quality stuffed bus that can be purchased at either of the CATA
offices for a low price of $8.00. For fans and collectors, these
realistic replicas make great gifts!! |
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|
Information,
schedules and programs posted on this website are current at posting and
are subject to change as information is updated.
Send mail to webmaster with
questions or comments about this web site. Send mail to CATA
with questions or comments about service.
Copyright© 2004, Centre Area Transportation Authority, all rights
reserved. |
