UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Transportation Services is reminding students, faculty and staff of the campus and community services available to them to get to, from and across the University Park campus during the winter months.
Campus and community transit
The CATABUS Loops and Link and Campus Shuttle are no-fare transit options for the Penn State community for transportation to locations across campus and downtown. With service starting as early as 6:45 a.m. and running until late at night, passengers can escape the cold while getting a convenient ride to their destination.
CATABUS also offers 18 Community Service routes that serve the campus and the surrounding State College and Centre Region area. Many stops are located at popular destinations such as grocery stores, restaurants, shopping centers and apartment complexes. These community routes are $2.20 for a one-way trip and riders can purchase bus passes and tokens or use exact change for bus fare.
Riders can download the Penn State Go app for real-time bus and shuttle locations and arrival predictions for each stop to avoid waiting for a bus in the cold.
CATACOMMUTE and Commute with Enterprise
The Centre Region Transit Authority’s (CATA) CATACOMMUTE program has partnered with Commute with Enterprise to offer vanpool commuting options for those in the Greater State College area.
The program connects employees who live near one another and provides them with a van or SUV to serve as their vanpool vehicle. These vanpool groups allow users to save money on vehicle gas and maintenance while also allowing them to relax or catch up on work during their commute.
Winter biking
The Spin e-bike share program, through partnerships with Transportation Services, the Borough of State College, Ferguson Township and Patton Township, offers more than 300 electric-assist bikes as another helpful option for getting around. Bikes are available across campus and in town year-round, and bike racks are close to buildings to provide convenient access to users.
Bicyclists also are encouraged to visit the Bike Den if they need help creating a winter riding plan. Staff and volunteers can provide valuable information on bike repair and maintenance, and bicyclists can get tips on layering clothing, changing the tread on bike tires, visibility and more. The Bike Den also will host a free Winter Biking 101 workshop from 6-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
Ride Smart by Lyft and Safe Walk
The Penn State Ride Smart by Lyft program provides eight $10 per-ride credits each month to all Penn State University Park students for Lyft rides back to campus from downtown State College and select surrounding neighborhoods on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. when other campus transportation is limited.
Students also are encouraged to use the University's Safe Walk service operated by University Police and Public Safety, which provides walking accompaniment on campus for students, employees and visitors who may feel unsafe walking alone on campus at night. This program is available from dusk till dawn, 365 days a year.
To learn more about these programs, visit transportation.psu.edu or call 814-865-1436.