Transportation Services to again offer alternatives to CATA service changes

      Replacement Blue Loop campus bus service will be offered on Sundays between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the spring 2021 semester, with Penn State blue buses replacing CATA vehicles. Each Blue Loop stop will be serviced approximately every 15 minutes. The blue buses will have exterior signage to identify them as serving the Blue Loop route. Credit: Penn State Transportation Services. All Rights Reserved.

      UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) recently announcing that the staffing-related service changes enacted in October will continue into the spring semester, Penn State Transportation Services will again provide some short-term options to help ease any inconvenience to the campus community.

      The following temporary changes to campus service from CATA include:

      • All Sunday CATABUS (including Loops and Links) and CATARIDE service will be suspended.
      • Early morning service on the Loops and Links will be suspended. Service will begin at 7 a.m.
      • The Green Link will be suspended.

      In response to these changes, Penn State Transportation Services will again offer the following temporary service alternatives:

      Sunday Blue Loop replacement service via Penn State blue buses

      Replacement Blue Loop campus bus service will be offered on Sundays between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., with Penn State blue buses replacing CATA vehicles. Real-time tracking and arrival predictions will not be available, but each Blue Loop stop will be serviced approximately every 15 minutes. The blue buses will have exterior signage to identify them as serving the Blue Loop route. There will be no Blue Loop replacement service on Sunday, March 6, during spring break.

      Email shuttles@psu.edu or call 814-865-7571 for more information on the Sunday Blue Loop replacement service.

      Free late night, early morning and Sunday Spin rides

      Beginning Jan. 9, Spin e-bike rentals will be available to all riders with no unlock or rental fees every night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. (except Mondays from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.) and all day on Sundays until further notice, courtesy of Penn State Transportation Services. Free rides are available for up to 30 minutes. The early Monday morning pause of free rides is being implemented this semester to assist Spin staff with bike redistribution before demand for bikes increases later in the morning. Riders must first sign up for a Spin account through the Spin app, and helmet use is strongly encouraged.

      Green Link users encouraged to use other campus transit options

      Riders who normally use the Green Link are encouraged to use one of the following campus transit routes:

      • Red Link: serves all Green Link stops, except those on Burrowes Road near Rec Hall and Westgate (served by White Loop and Campus Shuttle via Beaver Avenue) and those on Atherton Street across from the Bus Terminal (served by Blue Loop).
      • White Loop: serves the Green Link stops along Curtin Road and Burrowes Road, except the Curtin Road stops near Stadium West and the Bryce Jordan Center.
      • Blue Loop: serves the Green Link stop on Atherton Street and eastbound stops along Curtin Road.
      • Campus Shuttle via Beaver Avenue: serves westbound stops on the Green Link route along Curtin Road west of Shortlidge Road and along Burrowes Road; also serves eastbound stops along Curtin Road near East Halls and Shields Building.
      • Campus Shuttle via College Avenue: serves eastbound stops on the Green Link route along Curtin Road, except the stop near the Bryce Jordan Center; also serves westbound stops along Curtin Road at IM Building and East Halls.

      For those who park at the Commuter lots, the closest White Loop stop is located along University Drive near the Bryce Jordan Center, the closest Campus Shuttle via College Avenue stop is located along Curtin Road near the IM Building, and the closest Campus Shuttle via Beaver Avenue stop is located along Curtin Road near Shields Building. Download the Penn State Go app for real-time bus and shuttle locations and arrival predictions.

      Reminders on parking permit access and availability

      Faculty, staff and students are reminded that University Park parking permits provide access to many additional campus parking areas during evening and weekend hours. Faculty/staff permits are valid at all faculty/staff parking areas on weekdays from 4 p.m. through 7:30 a.m. the following day and all day on Saturdays and Sundays, and student permits are valid at all faculty/staff parking areas highlighted in yellow with the E/W symbol on the interactive student parking map, with the following exceptions:

      • No parking at Green H near Hort Woods until 6 p.m. weekdays.
      • No parking at the Commuter lots between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., seven days a week.

      Full-time faculty and staff should contact their department parking chair to see which permit options are currently available through their department allocation, while those working part time not enrolled in classes may purchase a permit at the Transportation Services Office at 1 Eisenhower Parking Deck, open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Student parking registration is available online, with prorated rates available.

      Email parking@psu.edu or call 814-865-1436 for information on campus parking.

      Last Updated January 10, 2022

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