ATA Bus

ATA Bus
Slogan "Anywhere in Riley County"
Founded 1976
Locale Manhattan, Kansas
Service area Riley County, Kansas
Service type Paratransit
Fleet 7
Website ATA Bus

ATA Bus is a private, not for profit paratransit bus system in Riley County, Kansas, United States. It is funded by county, state, and federal tax dollars. ATA Bus is setting up preliminary fixed-route bus service plans for better public transportation services for the rapidly expanding Manhattan, KS urban area.[1] ATA originally stood for Aging Transportation Agency.[2]

Fares

One way rides are $2.00 in Manhattan and $4.00 outside of Manhattan. Fixed route service is single fare $1.00 for Adults, $0.50 for Youths (6 to 18), Children (under 6) are free but must be accompanied, and there is a free-fare zone for Kansas State University staff/faculty/students with ID between the stops at the University (Beach Museum, Edwards Hall, Student Union and Foundation building). Seniors and Disabled can apply for half-fare cards, and personal care attendants can ride free. Transfers can take place at the Student Union stop. A $30 monthly pass is available.

Services

The ATA Bus operates Monday through Friday. The hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last pick ups of the day made at 5:00 p.m.

In addition to paratransit services within the city of Manhattan, ATA provides service to all of Riley County:

ATA provides a zone-based pickup schedule for most of rural Riley County.[3] On Mondays and Tuesdays the service makes pick-ups between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. in northern Riley County. They usually make their return trips between 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Service to and from Ogden, Kansas is available Monday through Friday. Riders wishing to ride the bus need to call in to the Dispatcher and schedule a ride as usual. The service has a fixed schedule and stops at designated places in Ogden three times a day. Door to door demand responsive service in Ogden is available for persons with mobility impairments.

The Manhattan Fixed Route service operates Monday through Saturday. With hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Fleet

ATA Bus operates seven vehicles: four buses and three mini vans. The buses and mini vans are equipped with ramps and lifts to accommodate the needs of the disabled.

A federal grant of $500,000 authorized ATA Bus to purchase five new twenty passenger busses to implement fixed-route service in the near future.[4]

References

  1. "Finally, good vibes from the bus service". Manhattan Mercury. December 8, 2003. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  2. "ATA fund approaches are aired". Manhattan Mercury. November 30, 2001. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  3. http://www.rileycountyks.gov/FAQ.ASP?QID=458 ATA Bus FAQ on non-Manhattan service.
  4. Sarah Nightingale "ATA receives $500k in federal grants" The Manhattan Mercury, Retrieved on 2009-05-06

External links