The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) has become one of the busiest transit authorities in Pennsylvania, nearing 5 million trips annually, according to Executive Director Dave Rishel. This places CATA among the top three transit authorities in the state in terms of ridership.
“When you think of some of the metropolitan areas in the state, some of the population centers, I think that’s a great testament to the kind of organization CATA is, but also how the community is using it,”
Despite the increase in ridership, CATA faced challenges and controversy last year, particularly regarding service cutbacks in Bellefonte and neighboring townships, which led to a drop in ridership in those areas. Financial support remains a critical issue for the authority, contributing to the service changes in Bellefonte.
Rishel, who announced he will be leaving his position later this year, expressed optimism about the future, saying, “Hope always springs eternal,” when asked about the possibility of restoring previous service levels in Bellefonte.
In his report, Rishel noted that CATA is steadily filling employment vacancies and making various improvements, including enhancements at bus stops, to improve service.