STATE COLLEGE — Beginning July 1, the Centre Area Transportation Authority will introduce updated transportation options for riders traveling to two Mount Nittany Health facilities. The changes will ensure continued access to medical appointments through a combination of demand response and CATAGO! services.
Mount Nittany Medical Center (Park Avenue)
Starting July 1, Penn State Transportation will no longer operate a shuttle service to Mount Nittany Medical Center on Park Avenue. In coordination with Penn State, CATA has designed a demand-response service for those who are not within a CATAGO! service zone to Mount Nittany Medical Center. Riders in existing CATAGO! service zones have and will continue to have access to Mount Nittany Medical Center facilities at Park Ave through CATAGO! services.
This service will operate seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Trips must be scheduled in advance, with reservations available up to 14 days before travel and no later than the evening before a scheduled trip.
Service will be available to riders who live within a designated service area. Riders should review the service area map before scheduling a trip to confirm eligibility. The fare for this service is $2.50 per one-way trip, the same as a regular CATA fare.
“Whether you work at Mount Nittany Medical Center, you are visiting a patient or have a non-emergency medical appointment at the hospital, every member of our community should have a reliable and affordable way of getting there,” said CATA CEO Todd Horsley.
“CATA is pleased to offer this new option for getting to and from the hospital because it will both prevent a gap in transit service that would otherwise occur on July 1, and it guarantees access to Mount Nittany Medical Center for every person in CATA’s service area.”
Riders are encouraged to plan ahead and schedule trips early, as demand-response service capacity may vary depending on travel needs.
Mount Nittany Health Toftrees
Beginning July 1, trips to Mount Nittany Health Toftrees will be available through CATAGO! for riders within the Center Area West CATAGO! service zone. The service provides an alternative transportation option ahead of the discontinuation of H Route access to the facility with CATA’s Fall Service Changes, which go into effect on August 17.
Riders may request CATAGO! trips on demand or schedule rides in advance. The fare is $2.50 per trip.
Free transfers available between servics
Riders can continue to transfer between CATABUS and CATAGO! services at no additional cost.
If a trip requires more than one CATABUS or CATAGO! vehicle, riders should request a transfer from the driver when boarding the first vehicle. Transfers are valid up to one hour and may be used to continue a one-way trip. Transfers may not be used for return trips.
For assistance scheduling a ride or determining available options, we encourage riders to contact the CATA Customer Service Center at (814) 238-CATA (2282).
More information, including service area maps, is available at catabus.com
