The RIDEpass mass transit program provides access to all CATABUS routes to eligible University Park faculty, staff, and graduate students for only $23 per month. Transportation Services covers the remaining cost of each pass to encourage the use of mass transit, reduce vehicle congestion on campus, and promote sustainable transportation.

With CATA transitioning to a new digital fare system this year, RIDEpass passes will have a printed expiration date of Sept. 30, 2025, and will be valid from the date of receipt through that date. Prior to that date, all RIDEpass participants will be contacted by email with instructions for obtaining a new digital RIDEpass and information on how the updated pass program will work. As a result, graduate students will only be able to purchase a RIDEpass through the end of the fall 2025 semester.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be employed in a standing, fixed term I, fixed term multi-year, or post-doctoral position, or enrolled as a graduate, law, or medical student, with University Park as the primary campus of employment or enrollment
• Must live off campus at a residence that does not already participate in a CATABUS program
• Must live more than 0.75 miles (walking distance) from a CATA campus service Blue Loop or Red Link stop
• Must live within the CATA community service area

PROGRAM RULES

• May not have a core daytime-access Penn State parking permit (or must return this permit when purchasing the RIDEpass mass transit pass) but may have a commuter permit.
• May not have a core daytime-access Penn State parking permit (or must return this permit when purchasing the RIDEpass mass transit pass) but may have a commuter permit.
• Passes are valid at any time on all regular CATABUS and CATAGO routes, excluding CATA’s B-Line service – RIDEpass required upon boarding.
• Passes are not transferable and may be used only for the transportation of the individual to whom the pass is issued.
• Passes are the property of CATA and Penn State Transportation Services and must be returned upon termination of employment or enrollment, change in eligibility or upon request by either party.
• Participants must pay a $25 non-refundable processing fee for the replacement of lost or stolen passes.
• Passes are not valid on any other CATA service, including CATARIDE, the Football Shuttle, Charters, or any special shuttle service, whether open to the public or not.
• Participants who choose to exit the program before the pass expiration date may not be eligible to re-enter the program until the start of the next program year.

DISTRIBUTION OF PASSES

“RIDEpass” registration is completed online at the Transportation Services website, with applicants receiving email confirmation of their program acceptance upon completion of the online application. Accepted applicants then must visit the Transportation Services Office and show their Penn State ID to obtain the mass transit pass.

PROGRAM PAYMENT

Graduate students participating in the RIDEpass program are required to pay the full pass fee, in advance, by cash, check or money order (made payable to “The Pennsylvania State University”), major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), or LionCash+.

Employees may elect to have the cost of the pass deducted from their paycheck on a monthly or bi-weekly basis, depending on their payroll schedule. Employees not eligible for payroll deduction are required to pay the full fiscal year fee, in advance, by cash, check or money order (made payable to “The Pennsylvania State University”), major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), or LionCash+.

For employees paid monthly participating in payroll deduction:

• The cost of the bus pass will be deducted from the employee’s paycheck issued on the last working day of each month.

For employees paid bi-weekly participating in payroll deduction:

• The cost of the bus pass will be deducted from the employee’s paycheck at a biweekly equivalent. The biweekly equivalent is equal to the monthly rate multiplied by 12 months and divided by 26, or $10.62 per paycheck for a monthly pass cost of $23.00.

Payroll deduction will continue without interruption until the employee surrenders their bus pass to the Transportation Services Office. Unless and until the pass is surrendered, payroll deduction will continue each pay period until the pass is turned in. For prepaid passes, a prorated refund will be issued for passes returned prior to the expiration date, barring exposure of illegitimate use. Users found in violation of program rules are not entitled to this prorated refund. Prorated refund amounts will be based on unused months left in the program (passes must be returned prior to the first day of a month for the month to be counted as unused).

All RIDEpass terms and conditions are subject to change at any time, with any changes communicated to pass holders through their preferred email address.

Effective May 27, 2025