Centre Area Transportation Authority

What Centre Area Transportation Authority does

Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is a joint municipal authority formed under Pennsylvania's Municipal Authorities Act of 1945, incorporated May 17, 1974, and reorganized in its current form on February 5, 1982. It is owned and governed by five Centre Region municipalities — State College Borough and College, Ferguson, Harris, and Patton Townships — and operates public transit services across the State College, PA area, including extensions to Bellefonte, Spring and Benner Townships, and Halfmoon Township. CATA carries approximately 4.93M riders annually (FY 2024) and runs a fleet of over 90 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses (New Flyer Xcelsior and Gillig models, 40- to 60-foot), with lift-equipped cutaways and minivans for paratransit.

CATA delivers four integrated service lines: CATABUS fixed-route service (14 community routes plus three fare-free campus circulators operated under partnership with Penn State Transportation Services), CATAGO! on-demand microtransit (powered by Via's platform, operating in Centre Area North, East, West, and an Expansion Zone pilot launched January 2026), CATARIDE ADA/senior paratransit, and CATACOMMUTE (an Enterprise partnership for commuter solutions). Supporting technology includes free CATANET Wi-Fi fleet-wide (launched June 2026), Token Transit mobile validators with QR scanning (since August 2025), Tap-to-Pay contactless readers (April 2026), and the myStop app (AvailTec) for real-time tracking and trip planning. The fleet is 100% wheelchair-accessible.

Revenue mechanics combine passenger fares ($2.50 standard, $1.25 reduced, $4.25 paratransit for ADA/seniors, $28.35 general-public paratransit), subscription passes (OnePass $98/month, 7-day $24.50, Youth Pass $29.50/month or free May–August), Penn State partnership funding for fare-free campus routes, advertising on vehicles (via Mesmerize Transit), asset disposition via Public Surplus auctions, and government transportation funding. Distribution is direct-to-consumer across physical routes, mobile apps, a walk-in Customer Service Center, campus retail desks, and event/game-day shuttles. Customer segments include general commuters, Penn State students/faculty/staff, seniors (65+), persons with disabilities, and youth. Leadership is Todd Horsley (CEO, appointed July 15, 2025), with a five-member Board of Directors chaired by Mark Parfitt.

Name

Centre Area Transportation Authority

Legal name

Centre Area Transportation Authority

Website

https://catabus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CATA is a joint municipal public transit authority serving the State College, PA Centre Region with fixed-route bus service (CATABUS), on-demand microtransit (CATAGO!), paratransit (CATARIDE), and a Penn State campus circulator partnership, carrying nearly 5 million riders annually across five member municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transit Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Special Needs Transportation (485991), All Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485999)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Transit Agencies (Bus, Rail, Metro, Paratransit) (BPAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

ADA/Accessible Paratransit (Complementary to Fixed-Route Transit) (THAIAHAA), Community & Senior Transportation Shuttles (Dial-a-Ride, Non-ADA) (TLAFAJAI), Wheelchair-Accessible Vehicle (WAV) & Stretcher Transport Services (TLAFAKAC)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Fixed route bus service
• Paratransit transportation
• Microtransit service
• Commute trip reduction

Headquarters

HQ city

State College

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Passenger Fares: CATA generates revenue through passenger fares on CATABUS Community Service routes ($2.50 per trip), CATAGO! microtransit service ($2.50 per ride), and CATARIDE paratransit ($4.25 for seniors/ADA eligible, $28.35 for general public). Revenue also comes from passes including OnePass monthly/quarterly subscriptions, single-ride tickets, and day passes.
2. Advertising: CATA sells advertising opportunities on and in fixed-route vehicles, including exterior and interior advertising across various sizes. Contact managed through Mesmerize Transit.
3. Penn State Partnership: CATA operates fare-free campus service (Blue Loop, White Loop, Red Link) through a partnership with Pennsylvania State University and Penn State Transportation Services. Revenue support comes from the university partnership.
4. Used Equipment Sales: CATA disposes of retired assets including buses, vans, office furniture, and equipment through public auction via Public Surplus website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Centre Area Transportation Authority operates public transit services for the Centre Region of Pennsylvania through four main service lines: CATABUS (scheduled fixed-route bus service), CATAGO! (on-demand microtransit within designated zones), CATARIDE (ADA paratransit for riders with disabilities), and CATACOMMUTE (a commute partnership program that works with employers and Penn State University to reduce single-occupancy trips). Fares are collected via Token Transit validators, the myStop app, and onboard cash or pass payment, with reduced, senior, student, and youth fare categories.

Product overview

Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) operates a multi-modal public transportation system serving the Centre Region of Pennsylvania. The core offering consists of CATABUS fixed-route bus service (14 community routes plus 3 fare-free campus circulators), CATAGO! on-demand microtransit service in three zones, and CATARIDE paratransit service for seniors and disabled riders. Supporting digital products include the myStop Mobile app for real-time tracking, Token Transit mobile ticketing with contactless payment capabilities, and special event shuttle services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CATABUS: Fixed-route bus service including community bus routes and fare-free campus circulator routes (Blue Loop, White Loop, Red Link)
• CATAGO!
• CATARIDE
• CATACOMMUTE

Products and services

• CATABUS (Fixed-Route Bus Service) Scheduled, fixed-route public bus service connecting State College, Penn State University, and surrounding communities with regular headways, multiple fare categories, and accessibility features for riders of all abilities.
• CATAGO! (On-Demand Microtransit) App- and call-based on-demand microtransit providing curb-to-curb shared rides within defined service zones, complementing the fixed-route network for first- and last-mile trips.
• CATARIDE (ADA Paratransit) Door-to-door, origin-to-destination paratransit transportation for individuals whose disabilities prevent them from using the fixed-route CATABUS service, delivered in compliance with ADA requirements.
• CATACOMMUTE (Commute Partnership Program) Commute partnership program working with Penn State University and area employers to provide subsidized transit passes, route partnerships, and trip-reduction resources to employees and students.
• Special-Event and Game-Day Shuttles Supplemental shuttle service deployed for Penn State home football games and other major campus or community events, providing high-capacity transit to event venues for riders purchasing event-specific fares.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Centre County Public Safety Training CenterminorOthers · 11 June 2026CATA donated a retired New Flyer XN40 bus with 335,000 miles and fire extinguishers to the Centre County Public Safety Training Center for use in training firefighters, rescue crews, and hazardous-materials responders across Centre County.
• Token TransitcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2025Token Transit provides mobile ticketing platform with validators on all CATA vehicles (CATABUS, CATAGO!, CATARIDE) since August 1, 2025. Riders can purchase and activate digital tickets, day passes, and passes via the Token Transit app with QR code scanning at onboard validators.
• Pennsylvania State University (Penn State Transportation Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPenn State is CATA's primary strategic partner for fare-free campus transit. The university funds and CATA operates the Blue Loop, White Loop, and Red Link campus circulators at no cost to riders. Penn State Transportation Services also administers the RIDEpass program providing reduced-fare service to eligible employees and graduate students.
• Mesmerize TransitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMesmerize Transit serves as CATA's advertising sales representative, marketing exterior and interior advertising opportunities on and in fixed-route vehicles. Contact: Jeff Marsella, Regional Sales Manager, (317) 966-5581.
• Fullington TrailwaysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFullington Trailways partners with CATA and Penn State to offer round-trip transportation to Beaver Stadium for Penn State home football games, providing additional shuttle capacity alongside CATA's own game day service.
• Via (for CATAGO! app)coreTechnology or IntegrationVia provides the technology platform for CATAGO! on-demand microtransit service. The CATAGO! app (ridewithvia.catag.catago) enables riders to book rides, track vehicles in real-time, and access flexible transportation in Centre Area North, East, and West zones.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Transdev: A global private operator that runs fixed-route, microtransit, and paratransit systems under contract for public agencies, offering the same service categories CATA operates in-house.
• MV Transportation: A large contracted operator of paratransit, fixed-route, and demand-response transit for municipalities, directly comparable to CATA's paratransit and microtransit offerings.
• SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority): A large Pennsylvania public transportation authority running bus, rail, and paratransit; overlaps in mandate and service modes but at far greater scale in the Philadelphia region.
• Keolis North America: A major transit operator delivering bus, rail, and on-demand services for public authorities; overlaps with CATA's multi-modal passenger operations as a contracted incumbent.
• First Transit (Transdev): A contracted provider of fixed-route, shuttle, and paratransit services for cities and campuses, overlapping strongly with CATA's bus and demand-response operations.

Regional players

• Pittsburgh Regional Transit (Port Authority of Allegheny County): A Pennsylvania public transit authority operating fixed-route bus, rail, and paratransit; directly comparable in mission and structure but serves the Pittsburgh metro rather than the Centre Region.
• Capital Area Transit (CAT Harrisburg / rabbittransit): A central-Pennsylvania public transit provider offering fixed-route bus, microtransit, and paratransit for smaller cities, closely mirroring CATA's model in an adjacent region.
• CamTran (Cambria County Transit Authority): A small Pennsylvania municipal transit authority operating fixed-route bus and paratransit for a regional community, structurally near-identical to CATA in a neighboring area.

Emerging players

• Via Transportation: Powers CATA's CATAGO! microtransit and also operates and licenses on-demand transit systems for agencies, making it both a partner and a comparable player in demand-responsive transit.
• TransLoc: Provides microtransit and transit technology platforms for campuses and municipalities, intersecting with CATA's on-demand and real-time tracking service segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CATABUS
• Facebookfacebook.com/rideCATABUS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catabus
• Instagraminstagram.com/ridecatabus

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre Area Transportation Authority