Bellefonte votes to leave CATA; adopts Centre County Transportation service starting July 1

Bellefonte Borough Council voted Monday to end the borough's participation in CATA services and to establish a replacement service through Centre County Transportation, with both changes effective July 1, 2025.

The vote capped months of work by a borough transit task force and a public presentation by Dave Lomison of Centre County Transportation. Lomison told the council his office “provides complimentary paratransit service for all residents of Centre County, no matter where you live,” and described door‑to‑door runs across a service area he said is larger than the state of Rhode Island.

Why it matters: Councilors and public commenters said the change is intended to preserve or expand rides for Bellefonte residents after the borough concluded the CATA service option no longer met local needs. Members of the transit task force said they expect the arrangement to be an interim, locally managed solution while they pursue longer‑term transit planning and grant funding.

In discussion before the vote, councilors and residents pressed Lomison and task‑force members on operational details that will affect riders: late‑day pickup times for people who work traditional hours, per‑ride fares and subsidy rules, and how the county will identify riders eligible for borough subsidies. Lomison said standing reservations are available for regular work trips and that Centre County Transportation can extend pickup times beyond the 4 p.m. guideline where the demand justifies it, but that some schedule changes require county approval. “We can technically probably go to 04:30 in most cases,” he said, and added that drivers have sometimes waited until 7 p.m. to bring riders home from medical appointments when needed.

Council members discussed money already budgeted to subsidize rides: a councilor said Bellefonte has budgeted $36,000 to supplement trips for borough residents. Lomison explained the county bills municipalities per trip and will provide monthly invoices; he also said the county screens riders on registration and can identify whether individuals live inside borough limits and whether they may qualify for other funding sources.

Public commenters urged approval. Sharon Weiser, identifying herself as a Pine Street resident, thanked Lomison and the task force and said anecdotal meetings with residents suggested a real need for improved public transportation. One nonresident warned the cost of some trips could be high for people without other funding sources; the council and task‑force speakers acknowledged that eligibility criteria, co‑pays and limits (for example restricting grocery trips) will need to be set by the borough and county before full implementation.

After public comment the council took two roll‑call votes: first to remove Bellefonte from CATA service, and then to establish Centre County Transportation service for borough residents beginning July 1. Both motions passed on unanimous roll calls.

The council and the transit task force directed staff and Lomison to collect ridership and demographic data — how many seniors, people with disabilities and 18‑to‑59 residents without other funding sources are using the service — and to return those figures for fall budget planning. Task‑force members said the data is needed to refine subsidy rules and estimate longer‑term costs.

Implementation details still to be decided include ride eligibility and prioritization rules, exact fare structure and co‑pays, the final schedule of pickups and late‑day windows, and a monthly billing mechanism for the borough. Task‑force members and Lomison said Centre County Transportation will work with borough staff on outreach and rider registration in the weeks before the July 1 start date.

Councilors and task‑force members said the countywide program could be used by other municipalities and emphasized this trial is intended to be scalable and revisable based on actual use and cost.

A forward look: Task‑force leaders said they will continue work on a longer‑term transit development plan and seek grant funding to support sustained services; councilors said they expect follow‑up reports and cost projections during the borough's 2026 budget process.