Penn State has been improving its image as a “green” university in the past few years. Penn State has been collecting compost from various cafeterias and other eating establishment, we can all associate the brown napkins with Penn State’s new green approach. Penn State’s most recent step to reduce pollution and environmental hazards has been the purchase of a number of new, red and white CATA buses. The CATA buses are a quintessential part of getting around this large campus but do we really know what they are all about.
CATA is short for the Centre Area Transportation Authority which was established in 1974. CATA provides transportation in five different municipalities: the Borough of State College and the four surrounding townships of State College: Patton, Ferguson, Harris and College. CATA provides nearly seven million rides per year to Centre County residents and Penn State students. In 1993 CATA replaced its diesel fuel powered buses with clean burning natural gas powered buses. In 2005 CATA’s buses were the first transportation department to use natural compressed gas to power a fleet of passenger buses. Natural gas burns more efficiently than regular unleaded gasoline as well as diesel and puts out less emissions and pollution.
Natural gas is not only more efficient but it is cheaper than other mean of fuel and compressed national gas is produced locally. CATA has introduced new buses recently as many of you have probably seen. Personally I find the new buses rather comfortable compared to the older buses and they are also cleaner but I am sure that will not be the case in a few months after heavy use by the student populace.
It is nice to see that Penn State and CATA are working together to try to make the environment healthier through the use of compressed national gas powered buses.
Video Found at:
Information Obtained from:
http://www.catabus.com/AboutCATA/index.html
It is interesting to see how much quieter these new buses are. I'd imagine that buses would have such loud engines, but these new CATA buses seem to be quieter than a Honda Civic 4-cylinder engine! I'd say keep them coming CATA.
ReplyDeleteI would like to ride the new buses soon. They look a lot nicer. I am also glad to know why the "brown napkins" are brown.
ReplyDeleteThe new busses are impressively quiet. I felt like I was on a monorail, not a bus.
ReplyDeleteOh man ,I haven't been in a new bus yet! (I much prefer walkin go to my destination) but it sounds like I will have to try to get on one soon! And thanks for explaining what CATA meant, I never knew that!
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