Maybe you have seen the new gray CATAGO! vans driving around Bellefonte and along the Benner Pike recently.
They are part of the new CATAGO! pilot program designed to serve the Bellefonte area better with on-demand service that will pick riders up and drop them off at any location in the service area.
That service area extends from Interstate 99 near the Centre County jail and the Benner Pike to beyond Weis Markets and encompasses an area that extends approximately three-quarters of a mile from CATA’s existing Bellefonte route. It also includes three destination points outside the service area: Benner Pike Walmart, Mount Nittany Medical Center and Porter Road at the Bryce Jordan Center.
CATA partnered with TransLoc for the micro-transit program. Micro-transit is an up-and-coming transit model that provides on-demand, curb-to-curb, shared ride shuttle service, similar to Uber or Lyft, but operated by a transit agency. The program launched on Jan. 11 and ridership is growing, said operation supervisor and project manager Derek Sermons.
“Every day, it keeps going up, friends telling a friend and so forth. We have gotten a lot of feedback on social media,” said Sermons.
Priced at $2 a ride, the same as a regular bus ride, the service allows riders to download the TransLoc app [App Store | Google Play], choose pick-up and drop-off locations within the service area, request a ride and go. For those without a smartphone, rides can be requested on the CATA website or by calling (814) 237-1821. The service is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
CATAGO! fares mirror the fare structure for all CATABUS service and all fare media used on the buses may be used for this service. So, bus passes and transfers from buses are accepted.
Sermons noted that the service has helped a patron who works near the Benner Pike Walmart and used to take an Uber to work every day, spending up to $20 per trip.
“It has helped her out tremendously, saving her a lot of money at $2 a trip,” said Sermons.
The large vans, which have bike racks, can accommodate up to seven riders; riders can also transfer to CATA buses.
“It is an easier way for people to get around,” said Sermons.
He added, “This was an option to try to serve Bellefonte more efficiently” and possibly reallocate buses to higher-density areas.
The vans are easier to get around some of Bellefonte’s narrow streets, he noted. He said riders have been pleased as well.
“So far, so good,” he said. “People who are riding it are enjoying it. They like the freedom where they are not waiting for 45 minutes to an hour to pick up the next route. This thing will pick you up at curb side.”
During the six- to eight-month pilot, CATA will continue to operate the bus line that runs to Bellefonte, and will determine how to best serve the community in the future after studying how CATAGO! works. CATA encourages commuters to provide feedback.
CATA is currently looking for drivers for the vans, which do not require a CDL to drive. More information is available at catabus.com.
This map highlights the CATAGO! service area. In addition, there are three destinations outside the service area: Benner Pike Walmart, Mount Nittany Medical Center and Porter Road at the Bryce Jordan Center.
