CATA to update services in Bellefonte, Benner Township

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (WTAJ) — CATA is proposing a new service for the Bellefonte/Benner Township area that will go into effect July 1, 2024.

The new service is called the Bellefonte/Benner B-Line. It will not be a fixed route, nor will it be micro transit. Passengers will call a day in advance to schedule a time for the bus to pick them up, then go to one of 20 destination points. All the points can be found on CATA’s website.

“It is actually a totally new system that we’ve developed for this area,” Derek Sherman, ADA and On-Demand Programs Manager at CATA, said.

One of the most significant changes is to the service hours. The CATAGO! is all day and includes Saturday; the B-Line will be 7-9:30 a.m. and 3-5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. This will also impact the total number of trips that the buses are making.

“This system will allow, if everything works perfectly, between 40 to 60 trips a day,” Sherman said.

These changes have been in development for months. CATA has continually said that the main reason for this shift is the lack of local funding. They were operating at a deficit in those areas, something they can longer do.

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As for those unable to access the B-Line, Sherman said that alternative transportation services like Uber are available, but are “probably not” perfect solutions.

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