New Partnership To Provide Bus Service

8-21-97
University Park, Pa. -- Starting Aug. 23, Penn State students and employees riding the Commuter Express at the University Park campus will enjoy enhanced services under a new collaborative arrangement between Penn State 's Office of Business Services' Transportation Services and the Centre Area Transportation Authority.

Riders traveling to and from the University's Commuter Lot, next to The Bryce Jordan Center, will now board blue and white Campus LOOP buses or orange and white Town LOOP buses, both of which will provide service to the lot. Each Commuter Lot parking permit, which costs $9 per month for faculty and staff, will include a bus pass good on any LOOP bus Monday through Friday. Approximately 5,600 people took advantage last year of the bus service from the commuter lot, according to Transportation Services.

"We are extremely enthused about the benefits the consolidation of the Commuter Express and LOOP will now offer for employees, students and town residents," said Betty Roberts, assistant vice president, University Business Services. "Because the LOOP travels throughout the campus and downtown State College, commuters parking in the Commuter Lot will be able to reach many more destinations. "

In addition to having more stops to choose from, Roberts said the arrangement also enables LOOP buses to run more frequently - every eight minutes all day. The hours of operation also are extended by the new arrangement.

The partnership provides commuters service Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until midnight; and Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 3 a.m.

Hugh Mose, general manager of CATA, said the extension of the LOOP service to the remote parking lot also will allow CATA's Park and Ride program, as it is called, to return to the east campus area where it was originally located.

"Moving the Park and Ride lot will make additional parking space available as the program grows, while the more frequent LOOP service will increase the convenience for people traveling between downtown and the remote parking area," he said.

CATA, which served about 2.2 million riders last year, is a joint municipal authority representing State College Borough, and Patton, Harris, Ferguson and College townships. The municipally funded entity runs several services including the 12-route Centre Line system, which provides service between downtown State College, the campus and surrounding areas; the Park and Ride program, which transports people from the remote University commuter lot to various destinations across campus and town; LOOP service; transportation for seniors and individuals with disabilities; and shuttle service for special events such as Ag Progress Days or the Arts Festival.

Ed Holmes, parking manager for the State College Borough, said the move to extend the current partnership between the University and CATA and to relocate the Park and Ride area is a good example of how the community and the University can collaborate on solutions to regional problems.

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Contact: Vicki Fong (814) 865-9481 (office) (814) 238-1221 (home) vyf1@psu.edu
Alan Janesch (814) 865-7517 (office) (814) 867-3621 (home) axj12@psu.edu