Beyond the Bus

Dear Capital City Resident:

January 2022 marked the Capital Area Transportation Authority’s 50-year anniversary. We quietly celebrated our service to the region over the span of five decades. Needless to say, it has been an honor to deliver our much-needed transportation services to our community of riders.

We are grateful for our many partners — service agencies, contractors and colleagues. Without doubt, their trust in the Authority and its dedicated employees has contributed to our success story.

At the conclusion of 1972 — our first year in service — we recorded 732,609 trips on seven established routes, compared to 11.4 million trips at the end of fiscal 2019 and 33 routes. Additionally, our operating fleet has grown in number, today in excess of 200 buses and minivans.

Since March 2020, however, as our industry adapted to evolving safety protocols and mandates related to the pandemic, transit ridership declined — not only within the Capital City region, but globally. Still, our riders — especially those who rely on CATA to get to work and to access other essential services — remind us every day of the critical role we play in driving jobs, economy, community and, of course, you.

In this, our 50th year, our work is only now beginning.

CATA honors its past and looks forward to continuing to do what we’ve always done best: driving mobility solutions throughout Ingham County and, thanks to a shared vision with neighboring counties, in greater portions of Eaton and Clinton counties.

Our partnership with community leaders and organizations, along with updates in technology, will allow CATA to improve onboard safety and security, and fleet electrification to enhance rider experience.

We are pleased to present CATA’s 2022 Community Report in digital format. The stories inside the pages of this report reflect the Authority’s commitment to regional mobility, customer experience excellence, organizational strength, community partnership and a dynamic workplace.

As we begin our journey into the next 50 years, we remain committed to stewarding public trust and striving to provide exceptional public transportation services.

Sincerely,

Bradley T. Funkhouser

This content has been published in the 2022 Community Report.

Like most U.S. employers plagued by labor shortages, CATA has been rebuilding its workforce over the past 14 months. CATA bus operators represent 66 percent of the Authority’s employee base, making the recruitment and retention of new drivers – as well as mechanics and administrative personnel – paramount to the organizational strength, but also a challenge.

Looking beyond its standard recruiting practices, however, CATA recognized the opportunity to attract a new generation of employees, some of whom rely on its services for personal or family transportation.

“We cracked the code by taking an aggressive approach, offering unprecedented signing bonuses and newly committed resources,” said CATA Chief Executive Officer Bradley T. Funkhouser.

The result?

“We launched the “Look to the Road for Your Dream Career” campaign,” Funkhouser said. “It’s a timeless, turnkey and clever recruitment initiative that pulls out all the stops and actually brings applicants through our doors.”

One thousand nine hundred eighty-seven applicants, to be precise. Of those, 557 applied for an operator position.

Many applicants live in the Capital City region. They represent CATA’s widely diverse community of riders, and the potential to contribute to their community as a bus driver, mechanic or customer experience representative resonates with them.

Since the campaign’s spring 2021 launch, CATA has hosted five job fairs and onboarded no fewer than 170 candidates who have already begun their dream careers.

“We’re nowhere near ready to stop,” Marshea Brown, Director of Human Resources, added. “Recruiting continues in full swing. The Great Resignation isn’t going away anytime soon, and Baby Boomers are retiring in droves, so we are tirelessly keeping up the momentum. Our community will always need bus drivers because public transportation is an essential service for both those who don’t have other viable transportation options, as well as for those who are looking for affordable modes of transportation. CATA is proud to be the people’s public transportation service provider, bringing them one step closer to their dream careers and the best life they can live today.”

As news of CATA’s efforts to achieve regional mobility in the tri-county area takes flight, opportunities for a promising career in local public transportation is tangible.

“CATA remains committed to recruiting and retaining a robust workforce that keeps driving our communities forward, because that’s how we roll,” Brown said.

Looking for the career of your dreams? Apply today at www.cata.org/drive.

• CATA is seeking bus operators and mechanics.
• Competitive wages.
• Excellent benefits packages.
• $2,500 signing bonus for bus operators / $5,000 for mechanics.

Join CATA at their next Job Fair on Thursday, Sept. 15 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Frandor Shopping Center in the former Sears building (3131 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing).

It’s official, folks.

On Sunday, March 6, the new McLaren Greater Lansing hospital will open its doors for service. The 46,000-square-foot facility will host the health care services provided by the decommissioned Pennsylvania and Greenlawn hospitals.

Follow the steps below to access the hospital via CATA.

Plan your trip

Use the trip-planning tools available at cata.org plan your trip. Find out which routes will get you to McLaren and what time your bus will depart from your stop. To help you understand how to use our trip-planning tools, view our tutorial here.

You can also contact a Customer Experience Representative for trip-planning assistance.

Arrive early

Arrive at your bus stop at least 5 minutes before CATA’s scheduled departure – depending on the circumstances, you may even want to arrive 15 to 20 minutes earlier. Unforeseen circumstances, such as traffic congestion, accidents, weather and construction can cause unavoidable detours and delays.

Keep print schedules

Once you know the routes you need to get to your destination, keep a print schedule of each on hand. You never know when you might run into a dead zone and don’t have Internet access. If you have service but no Internet access on your phone, you can use our CATAnow texting service. Just text your bus stop number to 76123 and, after about a minute, you’ll receive the next real-time or scheduled departure time.

Transit app and live tracking

The Transit app is a handy mobile tool for checking departures, planning trips, and staying up to date on service changes or rider alerts. The app can also track your bus via GPS technology. Simply select your desired route and direction of travel, and you’ll see a live feed of your bus location.

If you have any questions about how to plan your trip or use our service, please feel free to contact us via our online feedback form, or by reaching out to a Customer Experience Representative. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates about CATA service changes, giveaways, Lansing events and more.