CATA plans additional service cuts, aims to continue to serve ‘the ones who need us most’

The Centre Area Transportation Authority announced additional service reductions Monday in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

CATA previously announced it would not collect fares and encouraged bus riders to board using the rear door. The downtown customer service center is closed to walk-ins, but staff can answer questions by phone from 7:30 a.m to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. CATA can be reached at 238-CATA (2282).

“We are working to keep some level of service operating for those passengers who need us right now. Our ridership is down significantly as it should be if we are doing what the governor and health care advocates are asking us — so we strongly believe that those passengers who are still riding with us are the ones who need us most and likely have little other options,” Executive Director and CEO Louwana Oliva said in a statement. “These are often the people who work behind the scenes at those life sustaining companies that are still operating, like grocery stores and medical facilities, and older adults and people who need us to get to treatments like dialysis.”

CATA is cutting service as it deals with “nearly nonexistent revenue streams,” Oliva said, and is on track to lay off about 80% of its staff in the next two weeks. Passengers who are negatively affected by the service changes are asked to contact the customer service center.

“We are trying to devise creative ways to help with the resources we have,” Oliva said. “We can’t promise we can answer every need, but we need better information on where the need is located.”

CATABus

Starting Wednesday, buses will run 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday only. There will be no weekend service. The only routes that will operate will be the HM (Nittany Mall/Toftrees), P (Tussey Mountain), NV (Havershire/Martin/Vairo/Toftrees), RP (Waupelani Drive/downtown) and W (Valley Vista). Along with the Blue Loop and Red Link, they will operate at reduced frequencies. Updated route schedules will be available by Tuesday at www.catabus.com.

CATARide

The service will take riders only to destinations considered essential by the governor’s office, such as doctor’s appointments, supermarkets, businesses deemed life-sustaining and religious locations. CATARide operates from 4:45 a.m to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday trips will be limited to life-sustaining treatment such as chemotherapy and dialysis. There is no service on Sundays.

Reservation times have been revised. Next-day trips can be scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

CATAGo

The service will take riders only to destinations considered essential by the governor’s office. CATAGo operates from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday though Friday and does not run on Saturday. The service has been expanded to serve Pleasant Gap. More information on CATAGo, including how to make reservations, can be found by contacting CATA customer service or online at www.catabus.com/go.

This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 4:55 PM.