Beyond the Bus

“CATA has helped me throughout many stages in my life, from school to now using the buses to get to and from work,” said Ashley Yates, 10-year CATA rider. Ashley uses CATA for all of her daily needs such as going to work, doctors’ appointments and visiting friends. Within ten minutes, Ashley can be picked up before and after her shift to ensure she gets to where she needs to be efficiently and on time. For some CATA riders, taking public transportation is their only option for getting to and from work. 

What kind of jobs are in the area?

There are hundreds of positions opening for job seekers to apply. According to the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), the top employers in, and around, Lansing include the State of Michigan, McLaren Health, Michigan State University, General Motors, Sparrow Health Systems and others. An article from Jobs2Careers states that there are over 300 hundred job openings in the region ranging from little to no experience companies like Meijer allowing flexible schedules that work around employee’s life and educational pursuits. For assistance on how to prepare yourself for your next position, Capital Area Michigan Works website can help job seekers of all kinds.

How do I get there?

With 32 fixed-routes, CATA provides transportation to work for many people across the Capital City region. Route 18 is the most recent addition to CATA’s list of fixed-route service. This route was designed to take employees from South Lansing to McLaren and MSU, providing a direct route for many employees living on the city’s south side. A full list of CATA’s available routes, as well as a trip-planning tool on CATA's Routes & Schedules webpage.

Do I really save money riding CATA to work?

According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), households spend 16% of their income on transportation, with 93% of that going toward buying, maintaining and operating cars. By using public transportation and living with one less car, households can save around $10,000. When finding a reliable ride to locations such as work, residents want to ensure they are getting there on time and without the financial obstacles of owning a car or utilizing rideshare services. According to Ashley, “Uber is too expensive for me to get anywhere I need to go. CATA is one of the most affordable modes of transportation available to me.” 

Looking to the future:

CATA is always looking to improve their services for riders. In coming years, big changes such as microtransit and electric buses may provide riders with additional opportunity to utlize services and taking steps towards regional mobility with seamless connections between jurisdictions. 

Do you have suggestions for how CATA can better get you to work? Submit your thoughts at cata.org/feedback.