Centre Area Transportation Authority


The Centre Area Transportation Authority is a mass transit agency that provides bus transportation within State College, Pennsylvania and the surrounding areas, as well as Pennsylvania State University.

History

The company first started as Centre Area Transit, which was formed to provide a vehicle to subsidize public transit throughout the region. Then on May 17, 1974, the Centre Area Transportation Authority 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 GMC. It was then in 1990 that ridership had officially hit the two million mark. CATA then revised its bus fleet in 1996 by introducing their first fleet of CNG buses built by Orion Bus Industries. The following year, CATA would eventually phase out the remaining GMC diesel-powered buses, in favor for new state-of-the-art New Flyer low-floor CNG buses. 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.

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 Loop, and the Red and Green Link. All four routes run during the fall and spring semesters. Only Blue Loop and Red Link run on the summer and operate under a limited service schedule. No Loop or Link services on Sundays during summer except special events.
CATA's service routes 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 reduced service during the summer.
RouteRoute CorridorDestination
Destination
Service
APark Forest VillagePark ForestPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • Weekdays only
BBoalsburgBoalsburgPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • Weekdays only
    • CHouservilleHouservillePSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • Weekdays only
    • FPine GroveThe MeadowsPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • Weekdays only
    • GStormstownStormstownPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • Weekdays only
    • HMToftreesNittany MallNorthbrook GreensNittany Mall
    • Full-time
    HUToftreesUniversity TerraceToftrees AvenueUniversity Terrace
    • Express for Toftrees
    '
    • Weekdays only
    KCato ParkCato ParkPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • No service on Sundays
    • NMartin Street / Aaron DriveThe ColonnadePSU Campus/Downtown
  • Full-time
    • NEMartin Street / Aaron DriveNorthbrook GreensPSU Campus
  • Express
    '
  • Weekdays only
    • NVMartin Street / Vairo Blvd.DowntownDowntown
  • Full-time
  • Fall and Spring semesters only
    • PTussey MountainTussey MountainPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Full-time
  • No service on Sundays
    • RWaupelani DriveWaupelani DrivePSU Campus/Downtown
  • Full-time
    • RCWaupelani/CampusResearch Drive at CATAPSU Campus
  • Express
    '
  • Weekdays only
    • RPWaupelani/DowntownWaupelani DriveDowntown
  • Part-time
  • Fall and Spring semesters only
  • No service on Sundays
    • SScience ParkScience ParkPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • Weekdays only
    • VVairo Blvd.The ColonnadePSU Campus/Downtown
  • Full-time
    • VEVairo Blvd.WoodycrestPSU Campus
  • Express
    '
  • Weekdays only
    • VNToftrees/Vairo/MartinDowntownDowntown
  • Full-time
  • Fall and Spring semesters only
    • WValley VistaGeisinger Gray's WoodsPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Full-time
    • WEHavershire Blvd ExpressThe HeightsPSU Campus
  • Express
  • Weekdays only
    • XBBellefonteBellefontePSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • No service on Sundays
    • XGPleasant GapPleasant GapPSU Campus/Downtown
  • Part-time
  • No service on Sundays

    • 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.

    Fare Information

    CATA operates 71 buses for its fixed routes. CATA also has 8 Paratransit mini-buses and 45 vans for vanpools.
    YearBuilderModelPowertrain
    		Fleet Number
    		Length Fuel PropulsionNotes
    2000New FlyerC40LF
    		84-93
    		40CNG
  • Currently being retired.
    • 2005New FlyerC40LF
  • Cummins Westport C Gas Plus
  • * Voith D864.3E
    		• 62-67
    		40CNG
  • Ex-CENTRO, acquired in 2019.
    • 2011-2012New FlyerXN40
    Xcelsior
  • Cummins Westport ISL-G
  • * Voith D864.5
    		• 2-12
    		40CNG
  • Entered service in mid-2012
    • 2011-2012New FlyerXN40
    Xcelsior
  • Cummins Westport ISL-G
  • * Voith D864.5
    		• 13-29
    		40CNG
    2014New FlyerXN40
    Xcelsior
  • Cummins Westport ISL-G
  • * Voith D864.5
    		• 30-31
    		40CNG
    2014-2015New FlyerXN40
    Xcelsior
  • Cummins Westport ISL-G
  • * Voith D864.5
    		• 37-46
    		40CNG
    2014FordF550
    Cutaway Van
  • 6.8L Ford Modular engine
  • * Unknown
    		• 32-36
    		32CNG
  • Operates under CATARIDE/CentreRide
    • 2019GilligLow Floor
  • Cummins Westport L9N
  • * Voith D864.6
    		• 47-6140CNG
    2020New FlyerXN60
    Xcelsior
  • Cummins Westport L9N
  • * TBD
    		• 100-104
    		60CNG
  • First articulated buses for CATA.
  • Currently being delivered.

    • Retired Fleet

    YearBuilderModelPowertrain
    		Fleet Number
    		Length Year RetiredNotes
    1983Neoplan USAAN435A
    		20-21
    		351998
  • Replaced by the 1998 New Flyer C35LF.
    • 1983Neoplan USAAN440A
  • Detroit 6V92TA
  • * Allison HT-747
    		• 22-31
    		401998
  • Replaced by the 1998 New Flyer C40LF.
    • 1985GilligPhantom
  • Detroit 6V92TA
  • * Allison HT-747
    		• 26-31
    		402009
  • Ex-Pierce Transit, acquired in 2000.
  • Replaced by the 1997 New Flyer L35LF, which was formerly operated by LYNX.
  • Last diesel buses operated by CATA.
    • 1996OrionOrion V CNG
  • Detroit S50G
  • * Allison WB-400R
    		• 50-65
    		402015
  • First CNG buses operated by CATA.
  • Only Orion buses that CATA operated
  • Replaced by the 2014–2015 New Flyer XN40.
    • 1996New FlyerC40LF
  • Detroit S50G
  • * Allison WB-400R
    		• 98-99
    		402019
  • Previously operated by BARTA and IndiGo
  • Replaced by the 2019 Gillig Low Floor CNGs
    • 1997New FlyerC35LF
  • Detroit S50G
  • * Allison WB-400R
    		• 38-47
    		352012-2014
  • Ex-LYNX, acquired in 2008
  • Originally ran in LNG fuel
    • 1997New FlyerC35LF
  • Detroit S50G
  • * Allison WB-400R
    		• 48-49
    		352014-2015
  • Ex-Rabbit Transit
  • Originally ran in LNG fuel
    • 1997New FlyerC35LF
  • Detroit S50G
  • * Allison WB-400R
    		• 66-73
    		352015
  • Originally ran in LNG fuel
    • 1998New FlyerC35LF
  • Detroit S50G
  • * Allison WB-400R
    		• 74-77
    		352019-2020
  • Replaced by the 2019 Gillig Low Floor CNGs
    • 1998New FlyerC40LF
  • Detroit S50G
  • * Allison WB-400R
    		• 78-83
    		402019
  • Replaced by the 2019 Gillig Low Floor CNGs
  • 80 is sold to a private owner.
    • 2004ElDorado NationalEZ-Rider II
  • John Deere 6081H
  • * Allison WB-300R
    		• 94-97
    		302019
  • Replaced by the 2005 New Flyer C40LF, which was formerly operated by CENTRO.

    • 2012 Fleet Upgrades

    CATA took a delivery of 28 brand new 40' New Flyer Xcelsior CNG-powered buses in the summer of 2012. Those buses replaced the 16 40' Orion V buses and also the 9 35' New Flyer C35LF LYNX buses 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.

    Hydrogen Bus Project

    One of CATA's buses was a hydrogen-powered bus, a part of an extensive hydrogen demonstration project that is being conducted by Penn State's Pennsylvania Transportation Institute. Air Products & Chemicals of Allentown, Pennsylvania and Collier Technologies of Reno, Nevada have teamed up to study the possibilities of using Hydrogen as a fuel for public transportation. 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 HCNG, which is a hydrogen/natural-gas blend. The bus can be seen primarily on the Blue Loop, as well as the N, R, and V routes. This project was suspended as of 2009.

    CNG Buses

    In the summer of 2009, Orlando, FL's Central Florida's Regional Transportation Authority 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.