Capital Area Transportation Authority
The Capital Area Transportation Authority is the public transit authority that operates mass transit bus service and paratransit within the metro Lansing, Michigan area, including service on the campus of Michigan State University.
CATA system
CATA operates both bus transit and paratransit service across a area throughout metro Lansing including Michigan State University. CATA logged 11,049,317 riders in fiscal year 2019, an overall ridership increase of 6.4% over the previous fiscal year.CATA has approximately 340 employees, of which nearly 224 are bus operators. It does not operate on these seven major holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Easter
- Memorial Day
- Fourth of July
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
Bus service
Referred to as "fixed route service", CATA's standard bus service operates on over 30 routes with both rigid and articulated buses. CATA's fleet consists of low floor buses manufactured by New Flyer. The bus service hub is at the CATA Transportation Center in downtown Lansing, with a satellite hub on the MSU campus. In August 2006, CATA added the first three hybrid electric buses to its fleet, making CATA the first company in Michigan to operate hybrid buses. Since then it has continued to purchase more, including articulated hybrid models.Fixed route buses use a GPS-based system manufactured by Luminator USA that periodically plays a voice-recording of the bus's location over the loudspeakers. This is particularly useful to the visually impaired and users who are unfamiliar with the area. All buses are also equipped with fold-out ramps for users in wheelchairs.
CATA operates a satellite hub, called the MSU/CATA Transportation Center, on the Michigan State University campus. This center serves as a hub for CATA's MSU-based routes; it also consists of a large public parking ramp. Many of the MSU-area routes are called "Spartan Service". This means that the route only operates during the MSU fall and spring semesters. This includes all routes numbered 30–36 and 39, Lot Link and Night Owl. Other routes are partially Spartan Service, that is, they run more frequently and/or longer into the night during the semesters.
CATA significantly altered its intra-campus Spartan Service bus routes serving Michigan State University beginning Fall 2009. Changes include Routes 30 & 31 having extended weeknight hours, Routes 34-36 having service only on the weekends, and the creation of Route 39, linking University Village and Spartan Village to the main campus. As a result, both Routes 31 & 32 saw route changes as well. Since August 25, 2014, Route 31 no longer changes into Route 30 at East Neighborhood, and vice versa.
CATAnow
Starting August 2014, a program called CATAnow has been created to provide immediate departure times at any of the bus stops. Passengers can use either their mobile devices or their computers by entering the bus stop number and the optional route number, and they will receive the departure times in seconds. It is also free to use this service.Paratransit
CATA operates several paratransit services using small buses and mini vans. One service, Spec-Tran, is offered to persons with disabilities who are unable to use fixed route service. The "Night Owl", offers rides across the MSU campus every night from 2 am to 7 am in order to give students a safer way to traverse campus at these hours.Michigan/Grand River Avenue Transportation Study
CATA partnered with metropolitan municipalities beginning in the summer of 2009 to study and evaluate transit improvements to Route 1, which runs from downtown Lansing to the Meridian Mall. Improvements being evaluated include enhancing the existing bus system, adding bike lanes, improving intersections, or upgrading the existing route from a bus line to a bus rapid transit line, light rail, or a modern streetcar line. The CATA Board of Directors formally adopted bus rapid transit as the locally preferred alternative for the corridor on February 16, 2011. This authorized the transit to submit an application to be part of the Federal Transit Administration Small Starts program, which would provide substantial funding for the capital costs of construction this line. The proposal was moved to the FTA's project development phase in April 2013, which includes getting funding for an environmental review and design and engineering activities. Citing a potential lack of federal funding for the project from the Trump administration, the authority's board voted in April 2017 to suspend the project until federal funding could be committed to the project.Fixed routes (as of September 2014)
;Route categories:- Routes 1–16 are Lansing-area routes.
- Routes 20–26 are east-area routes. However, there is no Route 21.
- Routes 30–36, and 39 are MSU-area routes and all are entirely Spartan Service
- Routes 46 and 48 are limited stop commuter routes. Route 41 was a limited stop commuter route, but is now discontinued.
- "'" indicates that the route only stops at certain points
- "'" indicates that the route is run using trolley-style buses. Bicycles cannot be brought on this route.
- All CATA bus routes are wheelchair accessible.
| Route Name | Starting Point | Terminus | Operates | Spartan Service | Direction | Operation Hours |
| #1 Downtown Lansing - Meridian Mall | CATA Transportation Center | Meridian Mall | Daily | Extended weekend night hours | Bi-Directional | 5:25 AM to 11:30 PM ; 8:00am to 11:30pm Until 1:30am ; 8:50 AM to 7:10 PM |
| #2 South Washington - Pleasant Grove | CATA Transportation Center | Sheffield & Bayview | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 5:40 AM to 10:38 PM ; 8:30 AM to 10:23 PM ; 9:30 AM to 6:23 PM |
| #3 Willow - Lansing Mall | CATA Transportation Center | Lansing Mall | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 5:30 AM to 10:10 PM ; 8:30 AM to 9:55 PM ; 9:30 AM to 5:55 PM |
| #4 Entertainment Express | Washington & Washtenaw | Albert & MAC | Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights | No | Bi-Directional | 7:30 PM to 3:00 AM |
| #5 South Cedar - Edgewood | CATA Transportation Center | Edgewood Villas | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 5:29 AM to 10:37 PM ; 7:42 AM to 10:24 PM ; 8:43 AM to 6:26 PM |
| #6 Cedar - Jolly Connection | Jolly Cedar Plaza | Salvation Army at Jolly and Washington | Weekdays | No | Bi-Directional | 7:50 AM to 4:20 PM |
| #7 Aurelius - Jolly-Dunckel | CATA Transportation Center | Beau Jardin & Dunckel | Weekdays | No | Bi-Directional | 6:03 AM to 7:40 PM |
| #8 Pennsylvania - Holt | CATA Transportation Center | Davlind & Aurelius | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM ; 7:20 AM to 11:15 PM ; 7:50 AM to 7:15 PM |
| #9 South Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. - Hill Vocational Center - S. Pennsylvania Meijer | CATA Transportation Center | South Pennsylvania Meijer | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 5:55 AM to 10:55 PM ; 7:45 AM to 10:35 PM ; 8:15 AM to 6:35 PM |
| #10 North Lansing - Turner | CATA Transportation Center | Thomas & Hall | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 6:10 AM to 10:50 PM ; 8:30 AM to 10:40 PM ; 9:00 AM to 6:40 PM |
| #11 Waverly - Colonial Village | CATA Transportation Center | Deerfield & Holmes | Weekdays | No | Bi-Directional | 6:20 AM to 7:40 PM |
| #12 West Michigan - Waverly | CATA Transportation Center | St. Joseph & Waverly LCC West Campus | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 6:10 AM to 10:55 PM ; 8:30 AM to 10:40 PM ; 9:00 AM to 6:40 PM |
| #13 Groesbeck Area - Lake Lansing Meijer | CATA Transportation Center | Lake Lansing Meijer | Weekdays | No | Bi-Directional | 6:05 AM to 6:45 PM |
| #14 North Grand River - Old Town - Airport | CATA Transportation Center | Grand River & Waverly | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 6:00 AM to 10:55 PM ; 8:30 AM to 10:40 PM ; 9:00 AM to 6:40 PM |
| #15 E. Kalamazoo - Lake Lansing Meijer | CATA Transportation Center | Lake Lansing Meijer | Weekdays | No | Bi-Directional | 6:40 AM to 6:45 PM |
| #16 W. Lake Lansing Road - Eastwood Towne Center | CATA Transportation Center | Lake Lansing Meijer | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 6:13 AM to 10:45 PM ; 8:30 AM to 10:30 PM ; 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM |
| #20 South Harrison - Jolly-Dunckel | Shaw & Farm Boarding Area | Beau Jardin & Dunckel | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 6:40 AM to 10:30 PM ; 8:25 AM to 11:00 PM ; 9:35 AM to 6:15 PM |
| #22 MSU - Haslett - Meridian Mall Okemos - MSU | Shaw & Farm Boarding Area | Meridian Mall | Monday thru Saturday | No | Clockwise | 6:05 AM to 9:15 PM ; 7:50 AM to 7:30 PM |
| #23 MSU - Okemos - Meridian Mall Haslett - MSU | Shaw & Farm Boarding Area | Meridian Mall | Monday thru Saturday | Weekdays: Runs more frequently Weekends: No | Counterclockwise | 6:05 AM to 9:15 PM ; 7:50 AM to 7:30 PM |
| #24 East Lansing - Lake Lansing Road | MSU Parking Ramp 5 | Lake Lansing Meijer | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | 6:10 AM to 11:15 PM ; 8:30 AM to 11:00 PM ; 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM |
| #25 North Harrison - Abbot | MSU Parking Ramp 5 | Lake Lansing Meijer | Daily | Weekdays: Runs more frequently Weekends: No | Bi-Directional | 6:20 AM to 10:15 PM ; 8:30 AM to 11:00 PM ; 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM |
| #26 Abbot - Chandler | MSU-CTC/Ramp 1 | Chandler Crossings | Daily | Weekdays: Runs more frequently & extended night hours Saturday: Extended night hours Sunday: No | Bi-Directional | 6:55 AM to 11:30 PM ; 6:50 AM to 11:15 PM ; 9:30 AM to 11:15 PM ; 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM |
| #26 Late Night Abbot - Chandler Late Night | Chandler Crossings | Albert & MAC | Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Nights | Entire route | Bi-Directional | 11:15 PM to 3:00 AM |
| #30 South Campus/Wilson Hall - East Campus via IM East | Matilda Wilson and Lynne Holden Halls | East Campus Boarding Center: Akers, Conrad, Hubbard, and Fee Halls | Weekdays & Weeknights | Entire route | Bi-Directional | 7:00 AM to 2:30 AM |
| #31 Brody Complex - East Campus via Vet Med | Brody Neighborhood | East Campus Boarding Center: Akers, Conrad, Hubbard, and Fee Halls | Weekdays & Weeknights | Entire route | Bi-Directional | 7:00 AM to 2:30 AM |
| #32 Commuter Lot 89 - Clinical Center | MSU-CTC/Ramp 1 | Commuter Lot 89 Shelter #3 | Weekdays | Entire route | Bi-Directional | 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM |
| #33 South Campus/Holden Hall - MSU Union/West Circle Neighborhoods | Lynne Holden and Matilda Wilson Halls | MSU Union | Weekdays | Entire route | Counterclockwise Loop | 7:00 AM to 7:15 PM |
| #34 Brody Complex - University Village | MSU-CTC/Ramp 1 | Brody Neighborhood | Weekends | Entire route | Counterclockwise Loop | 9:15 AM to 2:30 AM |
| #35 South Campus/Wilson and Holden Halls - Spartan Village | MSU-CTC/Ramp 1 | Spartan Village | Weekends | Entire route | Bi-Directional | 9:00 AM to 2:15 AM |
| #36 East Campus via Vet Med | MSU-CTC/Ramp 1 | East Campus Boarding Center: Akers, Conrad, Hubbard, and Fee Halls | Weekends | Entire route | Counterclockwise Loop | 9:15 AM to 2:30 AM |
| #39 University Village - Spartan Village | Shaw & Farm Boarding Area | Spartan Village | Weekdays & Weeknights | Entire route | Bi-Directional | 6:45 AM to 2:15 AM |
| #41 Downtown Lansing - Meridian Mall | CATA Transportation Center | Meridian Mall | Daily | No | Bi-Directional | Discontinued |
| #46 Mason | CATA Transportation Center | Cedar & Kerns | Weekday Rush Hours | No | Peak Direction | 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM ; 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| #48 Williamston-Webberville | CATA Transportation Center | M-52 & I-96 | Weekday Rush Hours | No | Peak Direction | 6:30 AM to 8:00 AM ; 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM |
Fares
CATA offers a variety of payment methods and fares.Cash and CATACash
Riders paying by cash use the following fare structure for each one-way trip. All transfers from one route to another are free and valid up to two hours. Transfer may not be used to make a return trip; stopovers on issuing line is allowed. All routes are one zone fares.- Seniors, disabled, all Medicare card holders, and students: $0.60
- Children under tall: Free if accompanied by fare-paying rider. Limit is 3.
- All others: $1.25
Tokens and passes
Riders may use one CATA token for a one-way trip; again, transfers to another route, good for 120 minutes, are free; round-trips prohibited; stopovers allowed on issuing line only. Tokens may be purchased for $1.25 each or in sets of 10 for $10 at various retail outlets around the area. They cannot be purchased on board buses.Various bus passes are available that may be used on any numbered route. They may be purchased at various retail outlets in the area or online at CATA's website. There are also passes for paratransit services such as CATA Rural Service and Spec-Tran.
- 10-Ride Pass: $10
- 31-Day Pass : $35
- Student Semester Pass : $50
- MSU Commuter Lot Pass : $20 for one semester, $33 for two semesters
Bicycles on CATA
CATA also rents out bike lockers located in downtown Lansing and East Lansing.
Governance
CATA is governed by a board of directors:- Four members representing the City of Lansing:
- *Pete Kuhnmuench
- *Robin Lewis
- *Dusty Fancher
- *Jennie Gies
- Two members representing the City of East Lansing:
- *Shanna Draheim
- *Nathan Triplett
- Two members representing Meridian Township:
- *Donna Rose
- *Dan Opsommer
- One member representing Lansing Township:
- *Diontrea Hayes
- One member representing Delhi Township:
- *Douglas Lecato
- One non-voting member representing Ingham County:
- *Mark Grebner
- One non-voting member representing Michigan State University:
- *John Prush
Awards
In 2003, Sandy Draggoo, CATA's executive director, received the APTA Outstanding Public Transportation Manager in North America award.
In 2008, CATA was recognized by Metro Magazine as one of the Ten Best Places to Work in Transit. The article chronicled CATA's family-like culture, recognition of hard work, extreme efficiency, the Open-door policy of the executive office, and the pride CATA's workers mentioned in their employee surveys.