For the first time since 2017, the Centre Area Transportation Authority is proposing an increase for bus fares.
If approved, bus fares would increase from $2 to $2.20 starting this summer. All other passes and fare media would see a corresponding 10 percent increase, though no increase in CATA RIDE fares are proposed.
CATA’s Board of Directors will host a virtual public meeting at 5:30 p.m. on May 26 to receive public comment about the fare increase, as well as about several proposed service changes.
The public hearing will be held via WebEx and participants will be required to pre-register. Details on how to register will be made available in the coming days at catabus.com/publichearing.
Service, routing and frequency changes also are proposed for several CATA bus routes: A (Park Forest Village), B (Boalsburg), C (Houserville), F (Pine Grove), G (Gray’s Woods), HM (Nittany Mall/Toftrees), K (Cato Park), NV (Havershire/Martin/Vairo/ Toftrees), S (Science Park), and VN (Toftrees/Vairo/Martin/Havershire).
CATA is considering eliminating all service on Christmas Eve day, as well.
Full details on proposed service changes will be posted at catabus.com/publichearing no later than Monday, May 18.
Residents who are unable to attend the virtual meeting can direct comments to Christopher Jordan, director of service planning and community engagement, at cjordan@catabus.com or (814) 238-2282 ext. 7500. Comments can also be mailed to Christopher Jordan, Centre Area Transportation Authority, 2081 W. Whitehall Road, State College, PA 16801.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, CATA is not currently collecting fares and has reduced service.
This week, CATA reinstated service on the XB (Bellefonte) and XG (Pleasant Gap) routes, with modified schedules operating Monday through Friday.
The HM (Nittany Mall/Toftrees), P (Tussey Mountain), NV (Harvershire/Martin/Vairo/Toftrees), RP (Waupelani Drive/Downtown), and W (Valley Vista) community routes and the Blue Loop and Red Link also continue to operate on weekdays only with modified schedules.
Specific route schedules are available at catabus.com.
