Crawford Area Transportation Authority

What Crawford Area Transportation Authority does

Crawford Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is a Pennsylvania municipal transit authority incorporated in 1979 and headquartered at 214 Pine Street, Meadville, Pennsylvania. CATA provides multi-modal public transportation services across a four-county region in northwest Pennsylvania — Crawford, Venango, Clarion (added 2024), and Forest (added 2026) — operating a fleet of over 110 ADA-accessible vehicles that deliver more than 1,100 passenger trips daily. The service portfolio includes fixed-route bus service (with color-coded routes in Meadville, Titusville, Oil City, Franklin, and Intercity corridors), door-to-door Shared Ride service, ADA Paratransit, CATAGO on-demand microtransit, the rural Bike Share program (50+ bikes via the Koloni smartphone app), a Vanpool program partnered with Commute with Enterprise, and the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) administered on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. CATA also serves as the Greyhound intercity connection point in Meadville.

CATA's technology base is conventional transit infrastructure rather than software-driven: 27 propane autogas buses using ROUSCH CLEANTECH systems with Sharp Energy fueling stations in Meadville and Oil City (delivering over 35% fuel expense reduction), supplemented by CNG and unleaded gasoline vehicles. Operational technology includes the ZULTYS SMS messaging platform for scheduler-operator coordination, the CATAPAY digital ticketing system, and the Koloni Bluetooth-enabled bike dock system. CATA holds Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and ADA compliance certifications, with all vehicles fully wheelchair-accessible. The Northwest Pennsylvania Mobility Alliance (NPMA), a 501c3 nonprofit formed by CATA in 2020, operates the rural bike share and hosts the annual national Transit Retreat event.

CATA's business model is a hybrid of government contract revenue and subsidized fare revenue, with no private equity or venture capital ownership. Primary revenue streams include federal and state transit grants (PA Department of Transportation, PennDOT Rural Transportation Program), PA Lottery-funded senior fare subsidies (85% discount), MATP reimbursements from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, and local matching funds from the Crawford County Commissioners. Fare revenue is structured by segment: general public shared ride fares range $13.30-$50.00 by distance, while seniors (65+) and persons with disabilities pay 15% of general public fare (approximately $2.00-$7.50), ADA paratransit riders pay $4.00 one-way, bike share rentals are $2.50 per hour, and CATA GO Cambridge Springs fares are $1.50 one-way. In 2026, CATA completed a $4,000,000 capital expansion of its Meadville facility to support expanded multi-county operations.

Name

Crawford Area Transportation Authority

Legal name

Crawford Area Transportation Authority

Website

https://catabus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Crawford Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is a Pennsylvania municipal transit authority operating fixed-route bus, shared ride, ADA paratransit, MATP, bike share, and vanpool services across Crawford, Venango, Clarion, and Forest counties in northwest Pennsylvania, serving seniors, persons with disabilities, MATP recipients, and the general public with over 110 ADA-accessible vehicles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transportation Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Special Needs Transportation (485991), Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

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), Accessible Shuttle & On-Demand Paratransit (Microtransit for Riders with Disabilities) (TLAFAKAK)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Fixed route bus service
• Paratransit transportation
• Shared ride service
• Rural mobility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Meadville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Transit Fares: Fixed route and shared ride fares paid by general public riders. Fixed route passes available through CATA Pay system. Shared ride fares for general public range from $13.30-$50.00 based on distance of travel.
2. PA Lottery Senior Subsidy: 85% discount on fixed route and shared ride fares for seniors age 65+ funded through Pennsylvania Lottery program.
3. PennDOT Rural Transportation Program Subsidy: 85% discount on shared ride fares for persons with disabilities funded through PennDOT's Rural Transportation Program.
4. Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP): Non-emergency medical transportation for Medical Assistance consumers in Crawford, Venango, Clarion, and Forest counties, funded by Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Expanded to Clarion County in 2024 and Forest County in 2026.
5. Federal and State Transit Funding: Grant funding from PA Department of Transportation and federal transit programs. Capital projects funded through grants including $4,000,000 expansion of Meadville maintenance and operations facility in 2026.
6. Local Vendor and Service Contracts: Over $1,800,000 annually purchasing products and services from over 50 Pennsylvania businesses, representing local economic activity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Crawford Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is a municipal public transit authority providing fixed route bus service, door-to-door shared ride, ADA paratransit, on-demand microtransit (CATAGO), rural bike share, and vanpool services across Crawford, Venango, Clarion, and Forest counties in northwest Pennsylvania. It administers the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) for the region and operates a fleet of 110+ ADA-accessible vehicles running on propane autogas, CNG, and gasoline, completing over 1,100 passenger trips daily.

Product overview

Crawford Area Transportation Authority (CATA) operates as a multi-modal public transit system serving Crawford, Clarion, Forest, and Venango Counties in northwest Pennsylvania. The core offerings include fixed-route bus service with color-coded routes (Meadville Green/Blue/Red, Franklin, Oil City, Intercity), Shared Ride door-to-door service, ADA Paratransit, and CATAGO on-demand services. The portfolio also includes Bike Share (over 50 bikes via Koloni app), Vanpool Program (partnered with Commute with Enterprise), Senior Citizen Transit, Greyhound intercity connections, and Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP). CATA manages a fleet of over 110 ADA-accessible vehicles providing over 1,100 daily passenger trips, with digital ticketing through CATAPAY.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CATAGO: On-demand transit service operating in Cambridge Springs and Titusville areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,100 passenger trips daily across all services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Forest CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026CATA expanded in 2026 to become public transportation provider and administrator of MATP program for Forest County. CATA is transportation subcontractor for Medical Assistance Transportation Program under Forest County effective July 1, 2026.
• Venango County MATP AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026In 2026, CATA expanded to become administrator of the MATP program in Venango County, in addition to existing shared ride operations.
• Clarion CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024CATA expanded footprint in 2024 to become public transportation provider and administrator of the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) for Clarion County. Clarion County contracts with CATA for shared ride services, senior transportation, persons with disabilities programs, veterans transportation, and limited public transportation.
• Sharp EnergycoreTechnology or IntegrationPropane autogas fueling infrastructure partnership with Sharp Energy providing 2 propane fueling stations in Meadville and Oil City supporting 27 propane-powered buses in the CATA fleet.
• ROUSCH CLEANTECHcoreTechnology or IntegrationPropane autogas technologies provider for 27 propane buses in CATA fleet, enabling alternative fuel operations and 35%+ reduction in fuel expenses.
• Commute with EnterprisecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVanpool partnership providing commute options in Crawford and Venango Counties. CATA subsidizes up to $600 per vehicle monthly. Partnership supports workforce retention and development needs. 2 vanpools operating as of 2025.
• Northwest Pennsylvania Mobility Alliance (NPMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered 501c3 nonprofit formed by CATA to advance small-scale mobility projects. Proceeds fund free rides for community partners, 1st rural bike share in Pennsylvania, food delivery partnerships with YMCA, Kids bike Roadeo events. Facilitates annual Transit Retreat national event.
• GreyhoundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIntercity bus service connection at Meadville Greyhound stop. CATA fixed route buses provide connection to intercity service for travel to Pittsburgh, Erie and beyond.
• Venango County Older Adult ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdditional transportation assistance for Venango County seniors. Contact at 814-432-9704 or 814-432-9711 for more information on senior transportation options.
• Allegheny CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partner location for bike share at Pelletier Library and transit service for students accessing campus and community amenities.
• Crawford County Human Service DepartmentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional partnership for non-emergency medical transportation through MATP. Services funded for qualified county residents including trips to Pittsburgh, Butler, Mercer, Erie and destinations outside 4-county boundaries.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Town & Country Transit: Indiana-based rural public transit operator providing fixed route and demand-response services across multiple counties, structurally parallel to CATA's rural multi-county shared ride and deviated fixed-route model.
• Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority: Pennsylvania municipal transit authority operating fixed routes and shared ride services in suburban/rural communities west of Pittsburgh; comparable organizational structure, funding sources, and service portfolio to CATA.
• Butler Transit Authority: Small Pennsylvania municipal transit authority operating fixed route and shared ride services in and around Butler County, comparable in scale, service mix, and grant-funded operating model to CATA.
• County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS): Pennsylvania municipal transit agency providing fixed-route bus and shared ride/paratransit services under a similar state-funded municipal authority structure, with overlapping ADA paratransit and shared ride programs.
• EMTA (Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority): Regional fixed-route and paratransit bus operator in Erie, Pennsylvania, directly comparable to CATA as a Pennsylvania municipal transit authority operating bus, shared ride, and ADA paratransit services in a similar northwest-PA corridor.
• Rabbit Transit (Central Pennsylvania Transportation Authority): Pennsylvania rural/regional transit authority operating fixed route, shared ride, paratransit, and mobility programs across multiple counties, structurally analogous to CATA's multi-county model and funding mix.
• Luzerne County Transportation Authority (LCTA): Pennsylvania county-run transit authority operating bus, shared ride, and ADA paratransit services, comparable to CATA in regulatory structure, PennDOT funding exposure, and rural/small-city operating profile.
• River Valley Transit: Pennsylvania-based fixed-route, shared ride, and paratransit operator serving a multi-county region, providing a comparable small-authority model with overlapping PennDOT and Lottery-funded subsidization.

Emerging players

• Uber: Technology enabled on-demand rideshare platform with partial overlap with CATA's CATAGO and shared ride services; not a direct municipal-transit competitor but an emerging alternative where CATA's on-demand footprint is limited.

Broad incumbents

• Greyhound: National intercity bus operator that CATA directly connects to via the Meadville Greyhound stop; broader incumbent in the same passenger-transport category but operating at a fundamentally different scale and market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crawford-area-transportation-authority

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Crawford Area Transportation Authority