Beyond the Bus

Here at CATA, we are proud of our partnership with Michigan State University, especially during these hard times. Although MSU had to move classes online for the semester, that hasn’t stopped Spartans from joining the fight against COVID-19. Here are some ways MSU is helping to flatten the curve.

New COVID-19 Test Development

MSU researchers have developed a new COVID-19 test that provides quicker and more accurate results than other common tests. This method is much more sensitive and can detect the virus at small levels that the common test would miss, according to an MSU report. Developed by a team of researchers in the MSU College of Human Medicine, the test could be available for public use by the end of April. Learn more about MSU’s new COVID-19 test here. 

Face Mask Decontamination

Researchers at MSU have created a process that decontaminates masks used by healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients. This game-changing process, created by an MSU Extension Team, involves baking the masks in commercial ovens, allowing them to be reused at least 20 times. The team has been working with Sparrow Hospital to see if this process can be used with the hospital’s equipment, and hopes to share their work with other communities around the nation in the near future. Click here to learn more about MSU’s new decontamination process. 

Helping the country through this difficult time is an important part of MSU’s existence, said MSU President Samuel Stanley Jr. in a recent interview. “While this pandemic has created a variety of challenges, our university continues to find the will to innovate, respond and make a positive impact around the state, nation and world.”

Proud Partners

These are just two of the many reasons CATA is a proud partner of MSU. In CATA's 2019 Community Report, MSU staff and students discussed what the partnership means to them. View their testimonials in the Community Report here or watch them below.

For most people, riding the bus leads somewhere physical. Somewhere real. Maybe someplace rather perfunctory.

You take the bus to work. You ride it to go shopping. You hop onboard to get to class on the other side of campus.

For Eva Phan, a CATA bus took her to the next chapter in her life. She met her now-fiancé sitting in a bus shelter in front of MSU’s Brody Hall.

“It’s become a running joke in our relationship,” Eva said. “’If you want to find love, you have to go to the bus stop!’”

Ten years ago, Eva was a freshman studying human biology at Michigan State. She had to get to a chemistry test across campus but was unsure of the exam’s location. She saw Jeff Boore waiting for the bus and recognized him from her class.

“I followed him off the bus,” she said. “We were kind of wandering around separately, and he asked if I was in his class.” She told him she was, and they discovered neither of them knew how to get to Conrad Hall. This was before smartphones, so no one could do a quick check on Google Maps.

They went into the wrong building, and someone showed them the way.

“The whole time I was trying to chat him up, and he was not having it,” Eva said, laughing. “I thought, ‘He’s not that nice!’ I thought I’d never talk to him again.”

Later in the semester, she needed chemistry help, so she reached out to him on a whim.

They hit it off and talked all night. And when they went on their first date?

“We took the CATA bus to Noodles & Co.!”

Eva and Jeff dated all through college – she finished her bachelor’s degree in 2012; he stuck around for a master’s degree and finished in 2013. Their careers took them to San Francisco, where they live now. Last July, Jeff proposed.

When it came time to shoot engagement photos, their photographer asked if there was any particular spot that was meaningful to them.

“We told her, ‘Actually, the bus stop,’” Eva said.

They posed in the bus shelter, and they even climbed on an empty bus for a quick photo shoot, thanks to a friendly and accommodating driver.

Eva shared one of the photos on Facebook with the caption, “We found love in a hopeless place,” referencing the Rihanna/Calvin Harris song. But they don’t see the bus stop as hopeless at all. To the contrary.

“The bus stop means a lot to us,” Eva said. “Every single time we come back to campus we go see it. It makes us happy. It brings us back to being freshmen.”

May is here, which means it’s time to dust off your bike! What better time to introduce biking into your routine than during Bike Month? Biking relieves stress, provides  great exercise and is a perfect way to enjoy some fresh air.

Don’t live near a bike trail? Take a quick ride on CATA and utilize the beautiful bike paths we have in our own backyard. CATA buses are equipped with bike racks that are available to riders at no extra charge and bike lockers at the CATA Transportation Center that are available for rental. Click here to get more information about CATA’s bike racks and lockers.

Check out these scenic bike-friendly trails:

1. Lansing: The Lansing River Trail has over 20 miles of paved trails that are perfect for biking. You can hop on the river trail at several locations and enjoy both wooded areas and picturesque views of downtown Lansing and the Capitol Building. Take Route 14 to get on at Adado Riverfront Park, or Route 2 and start at Moores Park.
2. East Lansing: East Lansing is home to the Northern Tier Trail, which boasts 4.8 miles of paved pathway. Take Route 26 to the Family Aquatic Center where you can easily enter the trail.
3. Delhi: Route 7 will give you access to the charming Sycamore Trail. Beginning at the end of the Lansing River Trail, at the corner of Jolly and Aurelius, the Sycamore Trail is a great paved pathway for bike riding.

If you’re looking for more personalized routes or a bike buddy for your commute, check our CATA’s Clean Commute Options at cleancommute.org. Happy biking!