Eligibility guidelines for paratransit service under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
CATARIDE provides origin-to-destination transportation primarily for persons 65 and over and persons whose disabilities prevent their use of the CATABUS system.
ELIGIBILITY
CATARIDE service is open to the public, but only those age 65 and over or those eligible for paratransit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may use CATARIDE at reduced fares.
Those eligible who wish to utilize CATARIDE at reduced rates must pre-register for the service by completing a short application, available at CATA’s Customer Service Center located at 108 E. Beaver Avenue in State College or using the links below (Medical professional verification is obtained by CATA for persons with disabilities and proof of age is required of persons 65 and over.) Once approved, participants will receive a CATARIDE photo identification card that will be shown to drivers upon boarding CATARIDE vehicles.
SERVICE AREA
The CATARIDE service area is within 3/4 mile of CATABUS fixed routes and within the boundaries of CATAGO! zones. Origins or destinations outside this area will not be served by CATARIDE.
(Please note: This map shows only a very general service area for CATARIDE service. Please contact the CATARIDE Reservation Line for specific information.)
SERVICE HOURS/DAYS
Sunday non-emergency hospital service is available and can be requested by calling (814) 238-6100 at least 24 hours beforehand. Hospital Sunday service runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If this is an emergency situation, please dial 911. Service will start July 1st.
CATARIDE operates within 3/4 of a mile of active CATABUS routes and also within CATAGO! microtransit zones.
CATARIDE service operates as follows in the Borough of State College and College, Ferguson, Harris, and Patton Townships:
Monday - Wednesday 4:45 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Thursday - Saturday 4:45 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.
Sunday 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
ADVANCED RESERVATIONS
CATARIDE Reservation Line:
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., daily
Advance reservations are required for each one-way trip on CATARIDE, including return trips and each additional stop along the way. Riders may make reservations up to fourteen (14) days prior to travel (but no later than 5:00 p.m. the day before). Same day reservations are not permitted.
When calling, please specify the exact location, building entrance, etc., where you wish to be picked up, and provide a telephone number(s) where you can be reached during your travels.
If you travel between the same points at the same time at least one day per week, you may request a standing reservation (the vehicle will automatically be scheduled for those trips and you do not need to make a reservation for each trip). However, you must notify CATARIDE each time you wish to cancel or change the time of a standing reservation.
SCHEDULING
Because individual trips will be grouped into shared rides whenever possible, your pick-up time may be scheduled up to 60 minutes earlier or later than your requested time. Please notify the dispatcher if your trip is to get to your job or a medical appointment. You will be notified of the estimated pick-up window when you make your reservation.
On the day of your trip, the vehicles may arrive within a 30-minute window. It is expected that patrons will be waiting at the door and ready to board at the earliest time in the window. The driver will wait 5 minutes after arrival within the window. This is strictly enforced to prevent unnecessary delays for others.
- Change Requests: Requests for changes in destination, origin and pick-up time or requests for additional stops after the deadline for prior day reservations may not be honored. Changes requested prior to the deadline will gladly be accommodated.
- If you complete your appointment earlier than expected, or if your appointment runs later than you’d expected, you may call the CATARIDE Reservation Line to request an earlier or later pick-up time for your return trip. While every effort will be made to accommodate these changes in schedule, there is no guarantee that the requests can be accommodated.
“No Show” Policy: You will be considered a “no show” if you fail to notify CATARIDE that you will not be available for your reserved trip at least 45 minutes prior to your scheduled pick-up time. (There is no guarantee that your trip will be re-scheduled in such instances.) Whenever you are a “no show,” any other trips you have reserved for later that day will remain on the schedule. If you wish to cancel these trips, you must call to do so as required for any other cancellation. Please be aware that repeated no-shows negatively impact CATARIDE's efficiency and customer service. Your prompt attention to cancelling your ride when not needed results in providing resources for service to others. For information on the appeals process as it relates to the no-show policy, please see CATA’s Appeal Process.
SERVICE LIMITATIONS
Drivers are only permitted to assist passengers to and from the vehicle at the curb and with packages while getting on or off the vehicle. (Additional assistance to a residence’s door for persons with disabilities only is available upon request.) Drivers are not permitted to enter residences or other buildings to assist passengers at any time.
FARES
Fares are required for each one-way trip (each stop made is counted as one trip). Please have exact fare ready as drivers do not carry change.
Fares for Eligible Persons Age 65 and Over and Persons with Disabilities:
$4.25 per one-way trip
Fares for the General Public:
$28.35 per one-way trip
Available Fare Payment Options (Effective July 1, 2019)
Two payment options will be available for all patrons (Senior Shared Ride, ADA, and the general public), effective Monday, July 1, 2019. Patrons may either:
- Pay in cash upon boarding the CATARIDE vehicle for each one-way trip; or,
- Prepay for trips.
Patrons may prepay for trips using cash, credit card, or check made payable to CATA. The minimum amount that may be placed on account at one time is $25.20 (six one-way trips). Purchases may be made in person, over the phone, or by mail through CATA’s Customer Service Center, (814) 238-CATA(2282), 108 E. Beaver Avenue, State College, PA 16801-4921. The office is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The prepaid amount will be recorded in scheduling software used by CATARIDE.
Prepaid Trips
When making a ride reservation, patrons will be asked which payment option will be used (cash or prepay).
When using the prepay option, each time a patron boards (each one-way trip), the amount on account will be reduced by $4.25. When a companion accompanies a rider, $8.50 per trip will be deducted.
Drivers’ tablets will show the amount that is on a patron’s account, prior to the current day’s trip. If this shows that the prepaid amount available is not enough to pay for the trip, the patron will be advised of the need to pay the difference in cash. Negative balances will not be permitted.
Drivers and reservationists will be unable to answer specific questions regarding prepaid balances. The only information available to drivers and reservationists is what shows on the table as there may be times when the tablet has to catch up with actual trips provided and payments made. If a patron feels that there is or may be a discrepancy, please contact CATA’s ADA and On Demand Programs Manager, Derek Sherman, at (814) 238-CATA(2282) ext. 5130 or [email protected].
If you have questions, feel free to contact CATA’s ADA and On Demand Programs Manager, Derek Sherman, at (814) 238-CATA(2282) ext. 5130 or [email protected].
ACCESSIBILITY/VEHICLES
CATARIDE service is provided through the use of 12-passenger lift-equipped small transit buses and minivans that make boarding and deboarding easy and convenient. The vehicles can easily accommodate most wheelchairs and scooters; maximum with a combined weight limit of 750 and 800 lbs., depending on the vehicle. If you have any question as to whether or not the installed lifts can accommodate your mobility device, please contact the CATARIDE Reservation Line (814) 238-6100) for further details and specifications.
CARRY-ON POLICY
All items brought on board by passengers must either be held on the passenger’s lap or sit on the floor at their feet, without blocking the aisle of the bus. In addition, drivers will not load carts or strollers or watch a passenger’s packages and are only permitted to assist with packages while a passenger is getting on or off the vehicle. Packages cannot take up a seat and are limited to what a passenger can hold on their lap or sit on the floor at their feet. CATARIDE's operators will help with carrying bags or packages on one trip from the store to the vehicle and one trip form the vehicle to the passenger's doorstep upon request. CATARIDE operators may not take packages inside a passenger's home. Please see CATA Carry-On Policy for complete details.
SERVICE ANIMALS
Service animals are welcome on CATA vehicles at any time. Other animals are permitted to ride with their owner if the animal is in an approved pet carrier or is muzzled.
COMPANIONS & PCAs
Companions: Each passenger may travel with one companion. Additional companions are accommodated if space is available. (CATARIDE does not provide companions.) Companions, regardless of age or disability, pay the same fare as the passenger. Please notify the CATARIDE dispatcher that you will be accompanied by a companion when making your reservation.
Personal Care Attendants (PCAs): Passengers with disabilities may travel with a PCA, who pays no fare. A PCA typically assists with one or more daily life activities, such as personal care, performing manual tasks, or providing assistance with mobility or communication. There is no requirement that a passenger travel with a PCA for every trip, as assistance needed may vary depending on trip purpose.
The need for a PCA, in accordance with the above requirements, must be detailed on the CATARIDE registration application, and individuals with disabilities must first receive approval from CATA to travel with a PCA. If the individual does not indicate the use of a PCA, any individual accompanying the rider will be regarded as a companion.
VISITORS
Visitors with disabilities who have documentation from another transit authority certifying eligibility for paratransit under ADA may use CATARIDE by showing such documentation to CATA's On Demand staff prior to making a ride reservation. If an individual has not been certified as eligible by another public entity but can claim they are ADA paratransit eligible, they are entitled to and will be provided with 21 days of service within a one-year period. Without documentation visitors must notify CATA of their disability and place of residence to obtain approval to use CATARIDE. The 21 days of service that a visitor receives is calculated as any combination fo 21 days during any 365-day period beginning with the visitor's first use of CATARIDE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For additional information on eligibility and registration for the CATARIDE program, and for detailed information on the policies and procedures governing the service, please visit CATA’s Customer Service Center at 108 E. Beaver Avenue, State College, or call (814) 238-CATA(2282).
OTHER PROGRAMS OF INTEREST
Free-Fare Program
Persons age 65 and over may ride the CATABUS fixed-route public bus system at no cost with a Transit Identification Card. Persons over 65 may ride for half the regular fare when presenting a valid U.S. Medicare card.
Half-Fare Program
Eligible passengers with disabilities may utilize the CATABUS fixed-route public bus system for half of the regular cash fare with a Reduced Fare Identification Card or by presenting a valid U.S. Medicare card when boarding.
OTHER RESOURCES
The Centre County Office of Transportation
(814) 355-6807, www.centrecountypa.gov
Penn State Paratransit Service
(814) 863-7021, www.transportation.psu.edu