Capital Area Transportation Authority

CATA partnered with metropolitan municipalities beginning in the summer of 2009 to study and evaluate transit improvements to Route 1, which runs from downtown Lansing to the Meridian Mall. Improvements being evaluated include enhancing the existing bus system, adding bike lanes, improving intersections, or upgrading the existing route from a bus line to a bus rapid transit line, light rail, or a modern streetcar line.[8] The CATA Board of Directors formally adopted bus rapid transit as the locally preferred alternative for the corridor on February 16, 2011. This authorized the transit to submit an application to be part of the Federal Transit Administration Small Starts program, which would provide substantial funding for the capital costs of construction this line. The proposal was moved to the FTA's project development phase in April 2013, which includes getting funding for an environmental review and design and engineering activities.[9] Citing a potential lack of federal funding for the project from the Trump administration, the authority's board voted in April 2017 to suspend the project until federal funding could be committed to the project.[10]

CATA operates 32 bus routes with both rigid 40 ft (12 m) and articulated 60 ft (18 m) buses. The system's main hub is the CATA Transportation Center (CTC) in downtown Lansing, with a satellite hub, the MSU-CATA Transportation Center (MSU-CTC), at Michigan State University.

Many of the MSU-area routes are called "Spartan Service". This means that the route only operates during the MSU fall and spring semesters. This includes all routes numbered 30–36 and 39, Lot Link and Night Owl. Other routes (routes 1, 23, 25 and 26) are partially Spartan Service, that is, they run more frequently and/or longer into the night during the semesters.

Effective March 2023.[13]

• Routes 1–18 are Lansing-area routes
• Routes 20–26 are east-area routes (East Lansing, Okemos, Haslett)
• Routes 30–39 are MSU-area routes and only run during MSU fall and spring semesters
• Routes 46-48 are limited stop commuter routes, which make one trip daily in each direction during peak hours

CATA minibus

CATA operates several paratransit services using small buses and mini vans. One service, Spec-Tran, is offered to persons with disabilities who are unable to use fixed route service. The "Night Owl", offers rides across the MSU campus every night from 2 am to 7 am (9 am on weekends) in order to give students a safer way to traverse campus at these hours.

Riders paying by cash use the following fare structure for each one-way trip. All transfers from one route to another are free and valid up to two hours. Transfer may not be used to make a return trip; stopovers on issuing line is allowed. All routes are one zone fares.

• Seniors, disabled, all Medicare card holders, and students: $0.60
• Children under 42 inches (110 cm) tall: Free if accompanied by fare-paying rider. Limit is 3.
• All others: $1.25

CATACash cards are issued through the farebox as change during cash transactions.

Riders may use one CATA token for a one-way trip; again, transfers to another route, good for 120 minutes, are free; round-trips prohibited; stopovers allowed on issuing line only. Tokens may be purchased for $1.25 each or in sets of 10 for $10 at various retail outlets around the area. They cannot be purchased on board buses.

Various bus passes are available that may be used on any numbered route (except commuter lot pass). They may be purchased at various retail outlets in the area or online at CATA's website. There are also passes for paratransit services such as CATA Rural Service and Spec-Tran.

• 10-Ride Pass: $10 ($6 for seniors, disabled, Medicare card holders, and students)
• 31-Day Pass (unlimited rides for 31 days): $35 ($18 for seniors, disabled, Medicare card holders, and students)
• Student Semester Pass (unlimited rides for one semester, for students only): $50
• MSU Commuter Lot Pass (unlimited rides on Route 32 only): $20 for one semester, $33 for two semesters