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Robert B. “Bob” Colton, CATA’s long-time Maintenance Manager, retired on August 23. He devoted over 30 years of service to CATA, working as a technician before being promoted into a management role.
Under Colton’s leadership, CATA transitioned from an assortment of mainly used buses, stored outdoors, and maintained in a tiny Borough-owned garage to a modern fleet powered 100% by compressed natural gas, operating out of an up-to-date spacious maintenance, servicing and storage facility. During this transition, Colton built, for himself and among his staff of technicians, the highest level of competency in vehicle maintenance, and in CNG technology in particular.
Hugh Mose, CATA General Manager, said of Colton: “Bob is one of those people who has really touched the folks around them. I know that for the past 30 years, he has made a difference in the lives of people at CATA, and in our entire community. He’s a guy who expects a lot from those around him, but gives at least as much as he expects. And he’s always willing to pitch in and help out, never reluctant to get his hands dirty when something needs to be done.”
Throughout his career, Bob
has been active in transit industry affairs, including the American Public Transportation
Association (APTA) and the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association (PPTA),
where he chaired the Maintenance Committee and helped organize numerous regional
and state Bus Driver Roadeos.
Colton was recognized by CATA management and staff at a recent luncheon, where
he was honored for his long record of meritorious service. He was also presented
with a Resolution of Appreciation formally adopted by the CATA Board of Directors,
citing his devotion of “countless hours, and boundless energy, to making
sure that CATA’s vehicles and facilities perform well and look good.”
Following his retirement, Colton plans a September 8 wedding to his fiancée, Ms. Sandra Jean Gray of Huntingdon, PA. He also intends to travel and continue to be active in his church.
CATA Game Day Football Shuttles
Again this season, CATA will be providing shuttle service to the Penn State home football games.
CATA’s Game Day Football Shuttles are again split into two separate routes – one serving Downtown State College (Downtown Shuttle) and one serving Hills Plaza and other South Atherton Street hotels and businesses (South Atherton Shuttle).
The Shuttles begin operation
three hours before kick-off and run continuously until one hour after each game
is over. (The exception to this is on September 8 and October 27 – at
these times the Shuttles will begin service 5 hours prior to kick-off). Both
Shuttles operate in both directions every ten minutes before the game, every
twenty minutes during the game, and every ten minutes one-way from the stadium
following the game.
Fare for either shuttle is $2.00 (exact fare only). Individuals presenting a
valid U.S. Medicare Card, Senior Transit Identification Card or a CATA Reduced
Fare Identification Card may ride for half the fare ($1.00). Please remember
that passengers pay when boarding the bus and may pay for more than one passenger,
but drivers do not carry change.
In addition to the service
provided by the shuttles, individuals may also take advantage of the no-fare
BLUE and WHITE LOOPs that provide continuous service within walking distance
of Beaver Stadium to Downtown State College until 2:30 a.m. Service beyond Downtown
to the South Atherton Street hotels and the Hills Plaza is available via the
P Route ($1.25 fare) which leaves Downtown (at the Schlow Library stop at the
corner of Beaver Avenue and Allen Street) every 70 minutes at 4:15, 5:25, and
6:35 p.m.
For more information on these Penn State football shuttle services, including
exact routings, please refer to the CATA Game Day Shuttles schedule brochures
available on all CATA buses, visit the CATA website at www.catabus.com or call
(814) 238-CATA (2282).
H Route, P Route, LOOP and RED LINK Riders – Please note that starting approximately three hours prior to each home football game and until about one hour after the games end, CATA will not have access on Fox Hollow Road from the Village at Penn State to Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center or on Campus from the corner of Curtin and Bigler Roads to Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center. Therefore, there will be no service on the P Route, BLUE LOOP, WHITE LOOP or the RED LINK past Bigler Road to the Stadium and the P Route will be unable to access the Mount Nittany Medical Center. The H Route will not provide service between the Village on Fox Hollow Road and Campus.
The RED LINK will, however, detour to serve Innovation Park and the Mount Nittany Medical Center via the Route 322 Expressway. P Route riders needing to get to the Mount Nittany Medical Center will need to transfer to the RED LINK at a temporary stop located at the corner of Bigler and Curtin Roads.
New Pattee Transit Center Nears Completion
.Riders frequenting the Pattee Library bus stop on Campus will notice a new addition to the area - the new Curtin Road Transit Center. The transit center allows enough pull-off space to accommodate three eastbound and three westbound buses (allowing vehicles to pass them when they are stopped) and introduces 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 to the Fisher Plaza area.
The final result once the center is entirely finished will be a decrease in congestion on Curtin Road and improved safety for riders, pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Additionally, the transit center will ultimately boast electronic signs that will be integrated into CATA’s new AVL system, allowing for “real time” next trip departure displays from that location.
The transit center project, which cost an estimated $2.5 million, has been 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.