Changes to CATA services, routes ‘really frustrating’ for public transport users
To get to work at Penn State from her home in Ferguson Township, Roseanne McManus used CATA’s College Avenue Connector for years, before a service change this month upended her schedule and dependence on public transportation.
The College Avenue Connector route no longer operates west of Butz Street, according to CATA’s mid-year service adjustments. Rather, riders in the “Centre Area West Zone” can utilize CATAGo — an on-demand transit service.
During a recent Ferguson Township Supervisors meeting, McManus said CATAGo is not a good replacement for commuters.
“It does not go to campus, so you can’t use it to get directly to campus. What CATA recommends is connecting to the College Avenue Connector at Butz Street but anyone who’s traveled by air knows that connections make things a lot more difficult,” she said.
She’s not alone in her frustration in CATA’s changes, and Ferguson Township isn’t the only area affected. A public hearing on proposed changes in Bellefonte and Spring Township — which could mean the full elimination of services in Spring Township — is planned for Jan. 30.
A petition to keep CATA services in Spring Township has garnered 187 signatures as of Sunday morning.
“If we lose it, many of us with would be without transportation,” the petition states, adding that people use the service to get to work, go grocery shopping, get dinner and go to doctor appointments.
“This isn’t a minor matter.”
Daily lives impacted by changes
McManus and other Ferguson residents shared their frustrations with CATA’s changes during a recent township meeting.
Erin King also works on campus and relies on CATA. She has had to use Uber to go to and from work at least once because using CATA was unreliable. When she used the College Avenue Connector bus, she would have to walk 1/4 of a mile to get to the stop, ride to Schlow library, and walk to her job at University Libraries, all of which would take about 30 minutes total.
“Now it’s a crapshoot. It can take twice that long just because scheduling the (CATAGo) pickup — you don’t know what time it’s going to show up. This morning I scheduled the pickup ... but it kept getting pushed back,” King said. It was getting pushed back so much that she wasn’t going to make her connecting bus to bring her downtown, so she ended up calling an Uber.
“I’m just kind of finding that I’m spending more and more money to travel barely three and a half miles. And it seems to be the most inefficient way to get to work in the morning,” King said.
The environmental factor weighs on McManus’ mind, as well.
“When I rode the bus there were other people on there. Usually when I ride CATAGo, it’s just me. About maybe 1/2 to 1/3 of the time, one other person. I feel like I’m creating extra pollution by specifically requesting this CATAGo ride whereas the bus will be running anyway,” she said.
During CATA’s board meeting on Jan. 22, Interim CEO and Executive Director David Rishel said the transportation authority is “looking at a number of different options” with the Ferguson residents who commute to the university.
Ferguson residents aren’t alone in this struggle. Chaes Wanty lives in the State College Borough and needed to use CATA to commute to work at Teledyne Scientific Systems due to car trouble.
With a slight work schedule adjustment, Wanty was able to get on the bus at East College Avenue and South Allen Street, and could be dropped off at Old Gatesburg and Science Park Road around 7:40 a.m. Now, because the bus only goes to South Butz Street and points to CATAGo beyond that, it’s been frustrating for Wanty to schedule a reliable and timely recurring CATAGo ride.
Wanty purchased a four month, unlimited pass for more than $300. But when using CATA was no longer a reliable option, Wanty contacted CATA for a refund, but was told they don’t offer refunds.
“For a while I was able to just get on the bus in the morning and go to work. Even though it was a changed time, I made it work,” Wanty said. “And then I just get on the bus and go home and now, you know, if I was still taking this system, I would be worried about whether or not I could get there at the same time every day, which I wouldn’t be able to. And it’s just been frustrating to not know what’s going on. For a person who really likes routine, it was really frustrating.”
CATA troubles beyond the Centre Region
Spring Township has indicated they plan to end service with CATA on June 30. During the Jan. 22 meeting, Rishel said “they aren’t comfortable providing any more funds into the system.” He said CATA has estimated what they’re able to do with the amount of funding they’re willing to provide — a Jan. 30 public hearing will discuss the proposed service changes.
In a press release, CATA said leadership has been talking with Bellefonte, along with Spring and Benner townships, about the cost of services. The services contracted — CATAGo, CATA Ride (For people 65+ and those with disabilities) and CATA Commute (a partnership with Commute with Enterprise) — have been popular, Rishel said in the release, but are getting more expensive with growth.
“Unfortunately, they are operating at a significant financial deficit, which CATA cannot absorb,” Rishel said.
The financial support currently paid by these municipalities only enables three CATAGo buses in the region for about two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon, a “substantial decrease in service,” the release states.
“CATA would also be making changes to the means of reserving trips and policies and procedures concerning some fixed locations for pick-up and drop-off points in commonly served areas. CATARIDE services will be discontinued, and all CATARIDE patrons will have access to the fully accessible CATAGO! Service,” the release states. CATA Commute may also be discontinued in Benner Township.
In a September 2023 letter from CATA to Spring Township, Rishel wrote the current CATA services provided 21,896 CATAGo rides in and around the township and 1,294 CATA Ride trips.
The cost to provide this service to the township, Rishel wrote, was $379,776 in fiscal year 2023. CATA absorbed a nearly $120,000 deficit but he said they will not be able to do so in fiscal year 2024.
In Bellefonte, CATA absorbed a $222,533 deficit for CATAGo and CATA Ride trips, and covered a $36,199 deficit in Benner Township, according to letters to the township from Rishel.
For CATA to continue providing service to Bellefonte and Benner, Rishel wrote that all costs of providing this service must be fully covered.
CATA will hold a public hearing on the proposed service changes from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Jan. 30 in the large meeting room on the first floor of the Armory Building, 301 North Spring St., Bellefonte. For more information on the hearing, contact CATA’s customer service center, 814-238-CATA(2282). Comments may also be submitted by emailing comments@catabus.com or contacting CATA’s customer service.
