Capital Area Transportation Authority

Public transit operator in Michigan, US

Capital Area Transportation Authority

Founded| 1972
Headquarters| 4615 Tranter Street
Locale| Lansing, Michigan
Service type| bus service, express bus service, paratransit
Routes| 32
Stops| 1,350
Hubs| CATA Transportation Center (CTC)
MSU-CATA Transportation Center (MSU-CTC)
Fleet| 122 buses
52 small buses
55 low floor vans
Daily ridership| 41,700 (weekdays, Q1 2025)[1]
Annual ridership| 8,969,900 (2024)[2]
Fuel type| Diesel
Diesel-electric hybrid
Chief executive| Bradley T. Funkhouser, AICP
Website| www.cata.org

The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is the public transit operator serving the Lansing, Michigan area, including service on the campus of Michigan State University. In 2024, the system had a ridership of 8,969,900.[2]: 23

## History

[edit]

CATA began service in 1972.[3] Its predecessor, Lansing Metro Lines, was privately owned and operated under a franchise from the city of Lansing. Poor ridership and increasing costs prompted a city buyout of Metro Lines in 1970, creating uncertainty about the future of bus service in the Lansing area.[4] CATA was organized as a regional authority in 1971.[5] By the end of its first year of service in 1972, the newly formed CATA had provided over 700,000 rides.[6]

CATA was the first transit system in the United States to operate electric buses, with the assistance of a grant from the Model Cities Program. Six electric buses entered service in May 1973, operating a loop through Downtown Lansing and the State Capitol at no charge. The electric buses were built by the Battronic Truck Company of Boyertown, Pennsylvania. The $136,000 (equivalent to $963,000 in 2024) purchase price of the buses was largely funded by the federal government.[7] CATA's electric buses were plagued by mechanical problems, and ridership declined after CATA began charging fares on the formerly free service.[8] The electric buses were withdrawn in September 1974, and were sold to an industrial parts supplier in Flint at a substantial discount.[9]

In 1999, Michigan State University discontinued its bus services, and CATA took over operations of bus service on campus. Fares were initially charged for these routes, before a 2019 pilot program led to a permanent removal of fares.[10]

CATA is a two-time winner of the APTA Outstanding Public Transportation System Award, in 1991 and 2007. This award recognizes CATA's excellence in customer service, safety, and management.[11][12]

In 2006, CATA became the first transit agency in Michigan to operate diesel-electric hybrid buses.[3] The system continued to exclusively buy hybrid buses through 2016, before returning to conventional diesel in 2019 as the first Michigan operator of the Nova Bus LFS.[13][14]

CATA significantly altered its intra-campus (routes 30–39) Spartan Service bus routes serving Michigan State University beginning Fall 2009. Changes include Routes 30 & 31 having extended weeknight hours, Routes 34-36 having service only on the weekends, and the creation of Route 39, linking University Village and Spartan Village to the main campus. As a result, both Routes 31 & 32 saw route changes as well. Since August 25, 2014, Route 31 no longer changes into Route 30 at East Neighborhood, and vice versa.[citation needed]

In August 2014, CATA introduced the CATAnow system to provide real-time bus departure information. Further developments in CATA's real-time bus tracking systems include a partnership with Transit App beginning in 2017.[15]

### Michigan/Grand River Avenue Transportation Study

[edit]

CATA partnered with metropolitan municipalities beginning in the summer of 2009 to study and evaluate transit improvements to Route 1, which runs from downtown Lansing to the Meridian Mall. Improvements being evaluated include enhancing the existing bus system, adding bike lanes, improving intersections, or upgrading the existing route from a bus line to a bus rapid transit line, light rail, or a modern streetcar line.[16] The CATA Board of Directors formally adopted bus rapid transit as the locally preferred alternative for the corridor on February 16, 2011.[citation needed] This authorized the transit to submit an application to be part of the Federal Transit Administration Small Starts program, which would provide substantial funding for the capital costs of construction this line. The proposal was moved to the FTA's project development phase in April 2013, which includes getting funding for an environmental review and design and engineering activities.[17] Citing a potential lack of federal funding for the project from the Trump administration, the authority's board voted in April 2017 to suspend the project until federal funding could be committed to the project.[18]

## Operations

[edit]

CATA operates scheduled fixed-route bus and paratransit services across a 559-square-mile (1,450 km2) area throughout Ingham County and portions of Eaton and Clinton counties.[3]

CATA has approximately 340 employees, of whom nearly 224 are bus operators.[19] In 2016, 46% of CATA's operating revenue came from local sources, another 30% from state sources, and 24% came from fares and additional sources.[20] In fiscal 2019, CATA logged 11,049,317 rides – an increase of 6.4 percent over the previous fiscal year.[19]

### Fixed routes

[edit]

CATA operates 32 bus routes with both rigid 40 ft (12 m) and articulated 60 ft (18 m) buses. The system's main hub is the CATA Transportation Center (CTC) in downtown Lansing, with a satellite hub, the MSU-CATA Transportation Center (MSU-CTC), at Michigan State University. CATA also operates the Capital Area Multimodal Gateway, the region's Amtrak station.

Many of the MSU-area routes are called "Spartan Service". This means that the route only operates during the MSU fall and spring semesters. This includes all routes numbered 30–36 and 39, Lot Link and Night Owl. Other routes (routes 1, 23, 25 and 26) are partially Spartan Service, that is, they run more frequently and/or longer into the night during the semesters.

#### Current routes

[edit]

Effective May 2023.[21]

* Routes 1–18 are Lansing-area routes
* Routes 20–26 are east-area routes (East Lansing, Okemos, Haslett)
* Routes 30–39 are MSU-area routes and only run during MSU fall and spring semesters
* Routes 46-48 are limited stop commuter routes, which make one trip daily in each direction during peak hours

#  | Route Name | Termini  | Frequency (min)  | Notes

|
|
|
|

Mon-Fri | Sat  | Sun
1 | Downtown Lansing – Meridian Mall | CTC  | Meridian Mall | 15-20  | 10-20  | 15-20  | additional Fri-Sat night service during MSU breaks
2 | South Washington – Pleasant Grove | CTC  | Sheffield & Bayview  | 30  | 30  | 30  |
3 | Willow – Marketplace Blvd | CTC  | Marketplace & Delta Market  | 20-30  | 30  | 30  |
5 | South Cedar – Edgewood | CTC  | Edgewood Villas  | 20-30  | 30  | 30  |
6 | Cedar – Jolly Connection | Jolly Cedar Plaza  | CATA Headquarters  | 20-30  | - | - |
7 | Aurelius – Miller | CTC  | Beau Jardin & Dunckel  | 45  | 80  | - |
8 | Pennsylvania – Holt | CTC  | Davlind & Aurelius  | 30-45  | 30  | 30  |
9 | South MLK – Miller | CTC  | Meijer, S Pennsylvania Ave.  | 30  | 30  | 30  |
10 | North Lansing – Turner | CTC  | Thomas & Hall  | 25-50  | 45  | 45  |
11 | Waverly – Colonial Village | CTC  | Deerfield & Holmes  | 60  | - | - |
12 | West Michigan – Waverly – LCC West | CTC  | LCC West Campus  | 30  | 45  | 45  | truncated to St. Joseph + Waverly on weekends & during LCC breaks
13 | Groesbeck Area | CTC  | Lake Lansing Meijer  | 60  | - | - |
14 | North Grand River – Old Town – Airport | CTC  | Capital Region Int'l Airport | 25-45  | 45  | 45  |
15 | Kalamazoo – Frandor | CTC  | Meijer, Lake Lansing Rd.  | 60  | - | - |
16 | Old Town – W. Lake Lansing – Eastwood | CTC  | Meijer, Lake Lansing Rd.  | 30  | 30  | 30  |
18 | Capital City Crosstown | Multimodal Gateway  | Mt. Hope + Boston Blvd.  | 45-60  | - | - |
20 | South Harrison – Jolly-Dunckel | Shaw + Farm, MSU  | Beau Jardin & Dunckel  | 35  | 60  | 60  |
22 | MSU – Haslett – Meridian Mall (to Meridian Mall)

Okemos – MSU (from Meridian Mall)

| Shaw + Farm, MSU  | Meridian Mall  | 35  | 60  | - |
23 | MSU – Okemos – Meridian Mall (to Meridian Mall)

Haslett – MSU (from Meridian Mall)

| Shaw + Farm, MSU  | Meridian Mall  | 35  | 60  | - | more frequent service during MSU fall and winter semesters
24 | East Lansing – Lake Lansing Road | MSU-CTC  | Meijer, Lake Lansing Rd.  | 30  | 60  | 60  |
25 | North Harrison | MSU-CTC  | Meijer, Lake Lansing Rd.  | 60  | 60  | 60  | more frequent service during MSU fall and winter semesters
26 | Abbot – Chandler | MSU-CTC  | Chandler Crossings  | 45  | 40  | 40  | later and more frequent service during MSU fall and winter semesters
30 | South & East Neighborhoods | Holden & Wilson Halls, MSU  | East Campus Boarding Center, MSU  |  | - | - | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
31 | Brody Complex & East Neighborhoods | Brody Neighborhood  | East Campus Boarding Center, MSU  |  | - | - | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
32 | Commuter Lot 89 – Snyder Hall – Clinical Center | MSU-CTC  | Commuter Lot 89, MSU  |  | - | - | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
33 | MSU Union – North & South Neighborhoods | Holden & Wilson Halls, MSU  | MSU Union  |  | - | - | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
34 | Brody – University Village | MSU-CTC  | Brody Neighborhood  | - |  |  | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
35 | South Neighborhood – Spartan Village | MSU-CTC  | Spartan Village  | - |  |  | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
36 | East Neighborhood | MSU-CTC  | East Campus Boarding Center, MSU  | - |  |  | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
38 | Spartan Village | Shaw + Farm, MSU  | Spartan Village  |  | - | - | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
39 | University Village | Shaw + Farm, MSU  | Spartan Village  |  | - | - | operates only during MSU fall and winter semesters
46 | Mason Limited | CTC  | Cedar & Kerns  | 1 trip daily  | - | - | weekday peak direction only
48 | Williamston–Webberville Limited | CTC  | M-52 & I-96  | 1 trip daily  | - | - | weekday peak direction only

### Paratransit

[edit]

CATA minibus

CATA operates several paratransit services using small buses and mini vans. One service, Spec-Tran, is offered to persons with disabilities who are unable to use fixed route service. The "Night Owl", offers rides across the MSU campus every night from 2 am to 7 am (9 am on weekends) in order to give students a safer way to traverse campus at these hours.

## Fares

[edit]

CATA offers a variety of payment methods and fares.

### Cash and CATACash

[edit]

Riders paying by cash use the following fare structure for each one-way trip. All transfers from one route to another are free and valid up to two hours. Transfer may not be used to make a return trip; stopovers on issuing line is allowed. All routes are one zone fares.

* Seniors, disabled, all Medicare card holders, and students: $0.60
* Children under 42 inches (110 cm) tall: Free if accompanied by fare-paying rider. Limit is 3.
* All others: $1.25

CATACash cards are issued through the farebox as change during cash transactions.

### Tokens and passes

[edit]

Riders may use one CATA token for a one-way trip; again, transfers to another route, good for 120 minutes, are free; round-trips prohibited; stopovers allowed on issuing line only. Tokens may be purchased for $1.25 each or in sets of 10 for $10 at various retail outlets around the area. They cannot be purchased on board buses.

Various bus passes are available that may be used on any numbered route (except commuter lot pass). They may be purchased at various retail outlets in the area or online at CATA's website. There are also passes for paratransit services such as CATA Rural Service and Spec-Tran.

* 10-Ride Pass: $10 ($6 for seniors, disabled, Medicare card holders, and students)
* 31-Day Pass (unlimited rides for 31 days): $35 ($18 for seniors, disabled, Medicare card holders, and students)
* Student Semester Pass (unlimited rides for one semester, for students only): $50
* MSU Commuter Lot Pass (unlimited rides on Route 32 only): $20 for one semester, $33 for two semesters

## Governance

[edit]

CATA is governed by a board of directors:

* Four members representing the City of Lansing:
* Nathan Triplett (chair)
* Derek Melot
* Dusty Fancher (Vice Chair)
* Jennie Gies
* Two members representing the City of East Lansing:
* Shanna Draheim
* Jack Schmitt
* Two members representing Meridian Township:
* Phil Deschaine
* Phyllis Vaughn
* One member representing Lansing Township:
* Maggie Sanders
* One member representing Delhi Township:
* Douglas Lecato
* One member representing Ingham County:
* Mark Grebner
* One member representing Michigan State University:
* John Prush
* Ex-Officio:
* Terrance Augustine, Eaton County

## Fleet

[edit]

Current fixed-route fleet[21]

2006 DE40LFR Retired 2007 DE60LFR 2020 LFS Fleet #  | Year  | Make  | Model  | Length  | Propulsion  | Engine  | Transmission  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

402 | 2020  | Gillig | Low Floor | 29'  | Diesel  | Cummins L9  | Allison B400R
579–585 | 2010  | New Flyer  | DE40LFR  | 40'  | Diesel Electric  | Cummins ISL9  | Allison EP40 Hybrid System
586–587 | 2011  | Allison H 40 EP hybrid system
588–590 | 2012  | New Flyer  | XDE40
591–594 | 2013
595–604 | 2014
605–610 | 2015
611–619 | 2016
620–626 | 2017  | Cummins L9
627–631 | 2005  | New Flyer  | D40LF | 40'  | Diesel  | Cummins ISL  | Allison B400R
632–633 | 2004
635–636 | 2007  | Gillig | Low Floor | 35'  | Diesel  | Cummins ISM
700–718 | 2019  | Nova Bus | LFS | 40'  | Diesel  | Cummins L9
719–730 | 2020
731–737 | 2022
738-745 | 2023
6010–6011 | 2010  | New Flyer  | DE60LFR | 60'  | Diesel Electric  | Cummins ISL9  | Allison EP50 Hybrid System
6012–6015 | 2019  | Nova Bus  | LFS Artic  | 60'  | Diesel  | Cummins L9  | Allison B500R
6016–6018 | 2020
6019–6020 | 2022
6021 | 2023

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. 15 May 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
2. ^ a b "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. 19 February 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
3. ^ a b c "Resolution Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Capital Area Transportation Authority". City of East Lansing. 10 May 2022.
4. ^ Hanes, Curt (11 April 1970). "Bus Firm Cuts Ties With City". The State Journal. p. 1\. ProQuest 2032974546.
5. ^ Hass, Charlie (10 June 1971). "Capital Area Bus Authority Organized". The State Journal. p. 1\. ProQuest 2032975969.
6. ^ "2022 Community Report". CATA. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
7. ^ Aguiar, Annabel (15 February 2022). "Lansing tried electric buses in 1973. It didn't go well". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
8. ^ "Battery‐Powered Bus Service Is Cut". The New York Times. 29 July 1973. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
9. ^ "Electric buses sold to Flint firm". Lansing State Journal. 1 August 1979. p. B1. ProQuest 2033554496.
10. ^ "Agreement with CATA means free on-campus bus rides". MSUToday. Michigan State University. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
11. ^ "2007 Awards Program" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. 9 October 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
12. ^ Blanco, Sebastian (20 July 2007). "Lansing, MI has best transit system in North America". Autoblog. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
13. ^ "CATA hybrid buses celebrate 10 years". WSYM. 24 January 2017.
14. ^ "Nova Bus announces first order from Michigan". Nova Bus. 25 September 2018.
15. ^ LeBlanc, Beth (17 August 2017). "App now gives real-time updates for CATA buses". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
16. ^ "Michigan/Grand River Avenue Transportation Study". Retrieved 25 January 2017.
17. ^ Robison, Laurie (25 April 2013). "CATA Bus Rapid Transit Advances to Project Development Phase". CATA News. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
18. ^ LeBlanc, Beth (19 April 2017). "CATA board shelves plans for BRT". Rebecca Poynter Steckler. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
19. ^ a b "About". CATA.org. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
20. ^ "Operations". CATA. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
21. ^ a b "Capital Area Transportation Authority". CPTDB Wiki. Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board. Retrieved 17 March 2023.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Capital Area Transportation Authority.

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Lansing–East Lansing, Michigan

Municipalities|

* Lansing
* East Lansing
* Bath Township
* Delhi Township
* Delta Township
* DeWitt Township
* Dimondale
* Edgemont Park
* Grand Ledge
* Haslett
* Holt
* Lansing Township
* Mason
* Meridian Township
* Okemos
* Waverly
* Williamston

Counties|

* Clinton County
* Eaton County
* Ingham County

Districts and neighborhoods|

* Colonial Village
* Downtown Lansing
* Genesee
* Old Town
* REO Town
* Tamarisk
* Whitehills

Education|

| Colleges and universities|

* Davenport University
* Great Lakes Christian College
* Lansing Community College
* Michigan State University
* Michigan State University College of Law
* Western Michigan University Cooley Law School

|

School districts|

* East Lansing Public Schools
* East Lansing High School
* Lansing School District
* Lansing Everett High School
* J. W. Sexton High School
* Lansing Eastern High School
* Waverly Community Schools
* Waverly Senior High School

Private schools|

* Lansing Catholic High School

Museums and libraries|

* Capital Area District Library
* Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
* Impression 5 Science Center
* Library of Michigan and Historical Center
* MSU Library
* Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
* R. E. Olds Transportation Museum
* Turner-Dodge House

Hospitals|

* McLaren–Greater Lansing Hospital
* Sparrow Hospital

Recreation and attractions|

* Common Ground Music Festival
* East Lansing Film Festival
* Grand River
* Jackson Field
* Lake Lansing
* Lake Lansing Park North
* Lansing Center
* Lansing JazzFest
* Lansing Lugnuts
* Lansing River Trail
* Lansing Symphony Orchestra
* Michigan Hall of Justice
* Michigan State Capitol
* MSU Pavilion
* MSU Spartans
* Michigan Supreme Court
* Michigan Walk of Fame
* Old Town BluesFest
* Potter Park Zoo
* Red Cedar River
* St. Mary Cathedral
* Summit at the Capital Centre
* Wharton Center

Transportation|

* Capital Area Transportation Authority
* Capital Region Airport Authority
* Capital Region International Airport
* Michigan Flyer
* Multimodal Gateway
* Port Lansing
* Union Depot

Media|

* City Pulse
* Lansing State Journal
* MLive Lansing
* Radio
* REVUE Mid Michigan
* The State News
* Television

Company headquarters|

* Accident Fund Insurance Company
* Auto-Owners Insurance
* Biggby Coffee
* Dart Container
* Déjà Vu Consulting
* Delta Dental of Michigan
* Jackson National Life
* Lansing Board of Water & Light
* Lake Trust Credit Union
* Michigan Farm Bureau
* Michigan High School Athletic Association
* MSU Federal Credit Union
* Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing
* Quality Dairy Company
* Two Men and a Truck

Major retail centers|

* Eastwood Towne Center
* Frandor Shopping Center
* Lansing City Market
* Lansing Mall
* Meridian Mall

* Central Michigan
* Michigan
* United States

* v
* t
* e

Public transit in Michigan

Statewide|

* Amtrak
* Blue Water
* Pere Marquette
* Wolverine
* Barons Bus Lines
* Flixbus
* Greyhound Lines
* Indian Trails
* Michigan Flyer

Metro Detroit|

* DDOT
* Detroit People Mover
* ExpressTram
* QLine
* Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan
* SMART

Southeast|

* D2A2
* Lake Erie Transit
* TheRide (Ann Arbor)
* University of Michigan
* WAVE

Central|

* Bay Metro
* Blue Water Area Transit
* Capital Area Transportation Authority
* Jackson Area Transportation Authority
* MTA (Flint)
* Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services

West|

* Harbor Transit
* Macatawa Area Express
* Metro (Kalamazoo)
* Muskegon Area Transit System
* The Rapid
* Twin Cities Area Transportation Authority

North|

* Bay Area Transportation Authority
* Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority
* MarqTran

Former|

* Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Street Railway
* Detroit Downtown Trolley
* Detroit United Railway
* Grand Rapids, Grand Haven and Muskegon Railway
* Grand Rapids & Reeds Lake Railway
* Lansing, St. Johns and St. Louis Railway
* Michigan Executive
* Michigan United Railways
* SEMTA Commuter Rail
* Shore Line Interurban

Transportation in Michigan
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