University Park, Pa. — As students, faculty and staff head out of town for Thanksgiving, many will be looking for ways to get to the University Park Airport to catch flights. Rather than driving and trying to find a parking space at the airport, travelers can take a Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) bus.

CATA's P-Scenery Park route adds a trip to the airport five times a day, Monday through Friday. "CATA coordinates the times the buses run with the commercial airline schedules to get people to the airport in time for their flights," said Bryan Rodgers, director of the University Park Airport. "It's a convenient way for people to access the airport."

CATA started its service to the airport this summer, but the conversations about it started two years ago, according to Charles Welch, director of the Centre County Airport Authority. Welch said the service helps with the airport's limited parking options. "While we're never out of parking, the lot on the main airport property does fill up. When it's full, we guide people to another lot almost a mile away to park, and then we shuttle them back to the airport. If travelers take the bus to the airport, they don't have to worry about parking hassles."

According to Sherry Snyder, assistant director of transportation for CATA, the transportation authority had some additional funding available and decided that the best use of that money was to add the airport to one of its routes. Snyder explained that along with its Centre Line service, CATA offers Centre Ride, which provides curb-to-curb transportation for senior citizens and people whose disabilities prevent their use of Centre Line buses. The Centre Ride service mirrors Centre Line routes. "By adding the airport to our P route, we added a way for people with disabilities to get to the airport as well, because now Centre Ride also can provide service to the airport," she said.

Snyder said that she expects ridership on the route to increase as people learn about it. "It certainly is convenient for them. The bus gets them to the airport in plenty of time to check in for their flights, and they don't have to worry about finding a parking place. The schedule coincides with the bulk of departures and arrivals, including the late-evening arrivals, so people can use the service both ways." Snyder said riders have not had any difficulties with transporting their luggage to the airport on the bus. "It hasn't been a problem at all. The bus aisles and doors are wide enough to accommodate travelers with their luggage."

For more information, check http://www.catabus.com/centreline/routes/p/schedule.htm or call CATA at (814) 238-2282.