CATA Dedicates New Facility to Board Chairman

At a formal facility dedication and open house event held on Wednesday, May 23, Centre Area Transportation Authority General Manager Louwana Oliva joined staff in announcing the dedication of the Authority’s newly constructed administrative and maintenance facility to Dr. John C. Spychalski, the long-time chairman of CATA’s Board of Directors.

Dr. Spychalski has been a member of the CATA board of directors since 1980 and chairman since 2001 as the appointed representative for Ferguson Township in State College, PA. Under John’s leadership as a board member, the authority’s many major accomplishments have included:

• The integration of the CATACOMMUTE program into CATA’s list of services, which provides for carpool and vanpool ride matching services and additional programs for long-distance commuters into the State College area;
• The conversion of CATA’s vehicle fleet to clean natural gas, which resulted in CATA being one of the first transit systems on the East Coast to have an active fleet powered entirely by CNG;
• The implementation of a GPS-based technology program, which allowed for the integration of real-time bus arrival information, iPhone and Android apps, audible and visual stop annunciators and automated passenger counters into rider communication; and,
• The initiation in 2010 of a fleet replacement program that has since resulted in forty new New Flyer Xcelsior CNG buses being added to CATA’s active fleet, effectively reducing the average age of the fleet by half.

“CATA is pleased to have chosen to recognize Dr. Spychalski for his service on the CATA board of directors with the dedication of our new maintenance and administrative facility,” notes Louwana Oliva, CATA general manager. “John has devoted his professional career to the advancement of CATA and the public transportation industry, and both will continue to reap the benefits of his dedication far into the future.”

The open house and dedication comes as the agency plans to complete the $42 million project in August of this year. Built in phases within the footprint of the agency’s existing facilities, the new campus includes increased bus storage under roof and state-of-the-art maintenance facilities which will also allow CATA to introduce articulated buses to the fleet, as well as updated dispatch and training facilities.