View source for Cities Area Transit

{{Short description|Public transportation system in North Dakota and Minnesota}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox Bus transit
| name             = Cities Area Transit
| logo             = Cities Area Transit logo.png
| logo_size        = 
| image            =CATbus20212.png 
| image_caption    =A Cities Area Transit bus at the Downtown Transit Center in Grand Forks.  
| company_slogan   = 
| parent           = 
| founded          = 
| defunct          = 
| headquarters     = 255 North 4th Street, Grand Forks, ND
| locale           = 
| service_area     = [[Grand Forks, North Dakota]]<br>[[East Grand Forks, Minnesota]]
| service_type     = [[Bus service]], [[Dial-a-Ride]]
| alliance         = 
| routes           = 13
| destinations     = 
| stops            = 
| hubs             = 
| stations         = 
| lounge           = 
| fleet            = 39
| ridership        =710 Riders Per Day (2023) 
| annual ridership =258,970 (2023) 
| fuel_type        = 
| operator         = 
| ceo              = 
| leader_type      = 
| leader           =  
| website          = [https://www.grandforksgov.com/government/city-departments/cities-area-transit-cat Grand Forks City Bus]
}}

'''Cities Area Transit''' ('''CAT''') is the public transportation system in the neighboring cities of [[Grand Forks, North Dakota]], and [[East Grand Forks, Minnesota]]. The scheduled transit bus routes are operated by the city of Grand Forks and service is provided to East Grand Forks through a cost-sharing agreement.<ref name=volunteer>[http://volunteer.united-e-way.org/firstlink/org/10240202180.html Cities Area Transit - Agency Details]{{dead link|date=August 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>  Paratransit for those who are unable to use the regular bus under the [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|ADA]], and a service for seniors, are provided under contract by Grand Forks Taxi.<ref name=DAR>[http://grandforksgov.com/bus/WhatDAR.htm What is ADA-Paratransit and how does it work?]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925213544/http://www.grandforksgov.com/bus/WhatDAR.htm|date=September 25, 2008}}</ref><ref name=senior>[http://grandforksgov.com/bus/SeniorA.htm Senior Rider Service]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516022637/http://www.grandforksgov.com/bus/SeniorA.htm |date=May 16, 2006}}</ref>

==History==
Public transportation in Grand Forks was originally provided by the Grand Forks Street Railway Company which operated five street car lines that connected [[Downtown Grand Forks]] with the [[University of North Dakota]] campus, the [[Grand Forks County]] fairgrounds, the neighborhoods of Lincoln Park and Riverside Park, and the community of [[East Grand Forks, Minnesota]]. The service completely switched over to buses on July 1, 1934.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://grandforksgov.com/bus/HISTORY.pdf|title=Street Railways in Grand Forks, North Dakota 1887-1935|accessdate=July 12, 2007|publisher=City of Grand Forks|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711170008/http://www.grandforksgov.com/bus/HISTORY.pdf|archivedate= July 11, 2007}}</ref>

==Routes==
Routes generally run from 6:00{{nbsp}}am to 10:00{{nbsp}}pm Monday-Friday, and 8:00{{nbsp}}am to 10:00{{nbsp}}pm on Saturday (No service is offered Sundays or federal holidays). A Night route covers the city from approximately 5:55{{nbsp}}pm to 10:00{{nbsp}}pm, with service finishing for the night at 10:00{{nbsp}}pm. Routes operate once per hour unless otherwise noted. The #4 and #6 offer coordinated service once every 30 minutes along the University Avenue corridor (the individual branches operate once per hour). Additionally, the #12 and #13 complement each other, with the #12 operating eastbound, and becoming a westbound #13 on the return trip. A similar arrangement exists with the #8 and #9. The #10 and #11 offer 2 buses per hour between the central portion of East Grand Forks, and the Metro Transit Center. The #1 and #2 do not overlap, but interline at the Metro Transit Center.

Most routes pass by the Metro Transit Center (which is the location of the headquarters), at 450 Kittson Avenue, with the exception of the #8/9 and #12/13.

Scheduled bus route details are listed below:<ref name=map>[http://grandforksgov.com/bus/New%20GF%20map%202009.pdf Grand Forks and East Grand Forks Bus Routes & Schedules]{{dead link|date=August 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.grandforksgov.com/government/bus/routes-schedules |title=Routes & Schedules &#124; City of Grand Forks, ND |access-date=January 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103060834/http://www.grandforksgov.com/government/bus/routes-schedules |archive-date=January 3, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" 
|-
! Name !! Description !! Notes
|-
| {{color box|red}} '''Red Route 1''' || UND Campus - Downtown - Midtown ||
|-
| {{color box|red}} '''Red Route 2''' || Midtown - Downtown – Near North ||
|-
| {{color box|orange}} '''Orange Route 3''' || Altru Main Campus – Midtown - Downtown || Hospital express service. Operates every 30 minutes for 6:30{{nbsp}}am – 6:00{{nbsp}}pm. Operates every 1 hour for 6:00{{nbsp}}pm – 9:30{{nbsp}}pm
|-
| {{color box|orange}} '''Orange Route 4''' || Downtown - Northland College – Campbell Library || [[East Grand Forks]] north major shopping and educational services areas
|-
| {{color box|green}} '''Green Route 5''' || Downtown – UND Campus - West Walmart || [[University of North Dakota|UND]] service runs east and west along University Avenue. Operates every 15-30 minutes
|-
| {{color box|lightblue}} '''Light Blue Route 6''' || Northland College – Campbell Library - Downtown || [[East Grand Forks]] north major shopping and educational services areas
|-
| {{color box|blue}} '''Blue Route 7''' || Downtown – Midtown – Columbia Mall ||
|-
| {{color box|purple}} '''Purple Route 8''' || UND Campus - Altru Main Campus - Columbia Mall || [[University of North Dakota|UND]] service runs east and west along University Avenue
|-
| {{color box|pink}} '''Pink Route 9''' || Columbia Mall - Alerus Center - UND Campus || [[University of North Dakota|UND]] service runs east and west along University Avenue
|-
| {{color box|gold}} '''Gold Route 10''' || Midtown - Altru Professional Center - Walmart ||
|-
| {{color box|black}} '''Black Route 12''' || East Grand Forks Monday-Friday Only || 7:00{{nbsp}}am – 10:00{{nbsp}}am and 2:00{{nbsp}}pm – 5:00{{nbsp}}pm
|-
| {{color box|grey}} '''Grey Route 13''' || Evening Service Only || 5:55{{nbsp}}pm – 10:00{{nbsp}}pm
|}

==Fares==
The Cities Area Transit fares are:<ref name=Fares>{{cite web|title=Fares|url=http://www.grandforksgov.com/government/city-departments/cities-area-transit-cat/fares|publisher=Cities Area Transit|accessdate=March 25, 2019}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|-
! Type !! Cash Fare !! 10-Ride Card !! 31-Day Pass !! 14-Day Pass !! Day Pass !! Summer Pass
|-
| '''Adult''' || $1.50 || $13.00 || $35.00 || $18.00 || $5.00 || N/A
|-
| '''K-12 Student''' || $0.75 || $6.50 || $35.00 || $18.00 || $5.00 || $18.00
|-
| '''Seniors Age 62+''' || $0.60 || $5.25 || $35.00 || $18.00 || $5.00 || N/A
|-
| '''Disabled Card Holder''' || $0.60 || $5.25 || $35.00 || $18.00 || $5.00 || N/A
|-
| '''Medicare Card Holder''' || $0.60 || $5.25 || $35.00 || $18.00 || $5.00 || N/A
|}

==Downtown Transfer Station==
[[File:Metrotransitcentergrandforks.jpg|thumb|Metro Transit Center in Downtown [[Grand Forks, North Dakota|Grand Forks]] ]]
The Downtown Transfer Station, also known as the Metro Transit Center, is located at 450 Kittson Avenue and serves as the primary hub for Cities Area Transit. The hub serves eight routes, as well as providing intercity bus service through [[Jefferson Lines]].

==Fixed route ridership==

The ridership and service statistics shown here are of fixed route services only and do not include demand response. Per capita statistics are based on the Grand Forks urbanized area as reported in NTD data. Starting in 2011, 2010 census numbers replace the 2000 census numbers to calculate per capita statistics.<ref>{{cite web | title=The National Transit Database (NTD) | url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/ntd | access-date=June 27, 2022}}</ref>
[[File:Catsbus2021.png|thumb|A CATS Bus at [[University of North Dakota|UND]] in 2021 ]]
{| class="wikitable"  style="text-align:center; width:520px; margin:auto;"
|+ 
|-
! style="width:50px"| !! style="width:100px"| Ridership !! style="width:100px"| Change !! style="width:100px"| Ridership per capita

|-
!2005
|226,598 || n/a || 4.01
|-
!2006
|217,116 || {{decrease}}{{0}}4.18% || 3.84
|-
!2007
|215,234 || {{decrease}}{{0}}0.87% || 3.8
|-
!2008
|257,816 || {{increase}}{{0}}19.78% || 4.56
|-
!2009
|271,704 || {{increase}}{{0}}5.39% || 4.8
|-
!2010
|282,615 || {{increase}}{{0}}4.02% || 5.0
|-
!2011
|328,880 || {{increase}}{{0}}16.37% || 5.37
|-
!2012
|371,242 || {{increase}}{{0}}12.88% || 6.06
|-
!2013
|364,317 || {{decrease}}{{0}}1.87% || 5.95
|-
!2014
|346,673 || {{decrease}}{{0}}4.84% || 5.66
|-
!2015
|336,652 || {{decrease}}{{0}}2.89% || 5.49
|-
!2016
|317,992 || {{decrease}}{{0}}5.54% || 5.19
|-
!2017
|280,289 || {{decrease}}{{0}}11.86% || 4.57
|-
!2018
|253,657 || {{decrease}}{{0}}9.5% || 4.14
|-
!2019
|225,141 || {{decrease}}{{0}}11.24% || 3.67
|-
!2020
|141,914 || {{decrease}}{{0}}36.97% || 2.32
|-
!2021
|174,762 || {{increase}}{{0}}23.15% || 2.85
|-
!2022
|233,844 || {{increase}}{{0}}33.81% || 3.82
|-
!2023
| 258,970 || {{increase}}{{0}}10.74% || 4.23
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[List of bus transit systems in the United States]]
* [[MATBUS (Fargo-Moorhead)|MATBUS]]
* [[Minot City Transit]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.grandforksgov.com/government/city-departments/cities-area-transit-cat Cities Area Transit website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070711170008/http://www.grandforksgov.com/bus/HISTORY.pdf History of public transportation in Grand Forks]

{{North Dakota public transit}}
{{Minnesota public transit}}
{{Grand Forks}}

[[Category:Greater Grand Forks]]
[[Category:Bus transportation in North Dakota]]
[[Category:Bus transportation in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Transportation in Grand Forks County, North Dakota]]
[[Category:Transportation in Polk County, Minnesota]]

{{NorthDakota-stub}}