Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, Inc., usually referred to as TCAT, is a private, non-profit public transportation operator, created by Cornell University, Tompkins County, and the City of Ithaca to serve Tompkins County, New York. The vast majority of TCAT bus routes are based in the City of Ithaca and surrounding urban area. These routes serve Ithaca College, Cornell University, and Tompkins Cortland Community College. In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of .

As of 2019, TCAT operates 34 bus routes. Door to door paratransit service is provided by GADABOUT Transportation Services, Inc.

History

Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) was formed in 1998 by consolidating three public transit systems – Ithaca Transit (City of Ithaca), TOMTRAN (Tompkins County)County Resolution No 152 of 1980 "Acceptance of Interim County-wide Transportation Plan", June 9, 1980, Tompkins County Board of Representatives. and CU Transit (Cornell University) into a single system. In the 1960s the City and Cornell established independent bus systems which expanded throughout the next two decades. Service was first extended to serve Ithaca's suburbs in the 1970s, and to rural towns beginning in 1982. In 1974, a transit service in Northeast Ithaca (Lansing, Cayuga Heights and the Town of Ithaca) was started by apartment owners contracting with Swarthout Coaches to operate limited service for Cornell students, and as the public demand for service increased, the apartment owners sought assistance from local governments and Cornell University, which became Northeast Transit in 1978.

Tompkins County became involved in supporting suburban routes and in developing rural transit service. The County formed TOMTRAN to extend fixed-route bus service to Dryden, Caroline and Newark ValleyIn Tioga County in 1982, Groton (1983), Newfield and Ulysses (1985), and Lansing and Danby (1991). In 1999, TCAT initiated bus service to Enfield, the last unserved town in the county. In 1992, the city, Cornell and County built a $5 million transit facility to base transit operations and fleet maintenance including GADABOUT.County Resolution No 32 of 1990 "Acceptance of Conceptual Design for Joint Transit Maintenance Facility and Authorizing Federal Section 18 Application", February 20, 1990, Tompkins County Board of Representatives. In 1996, the New York State Legislature adopted a state law authorizing that "the county of Tompkins, the city of Ithaca and Cornell University may jointly provide for mass transportation services in the county of Tompkins.",Article 5-I, Section 119-s-1 of the New York State General Municipal Law and on April 1, 1998, the City of Ithaca, Cornell University and Tompkins County established TCAT as a joint venture (public entity) to operate public transit service in Tompkins County, service began in 1999, establishing a unified route and fare system.TCAT prepares for bus fare change and announces perk for CU employees TCAT re-organized itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, TCAT. Inc. in 2005 with representatives of City of Ithaca, Cornell University, and Tompkins County serving on its board of directors.

In 1976, a consortium of municipalities and human service agencies formed GADABOUT Transportation Services to address travel needs of seniors and people with disabilities and today operates the Federally mandated paratransit service for Tompkins County. Although GADABOUT did not join TCAT in 1998, the two companies are still closely related, with GADABOUT leasing space and maintenance services from TCAT.

Routes As of Fall 2026, TCAT operates the following routes.

Urban and suburban services

Route # Route name Days of service Notes10Downtown–Cornell LoopMonday–FridayLoop between Ithaca Commons and Cornell University.11South Hill + Ithaca CollegeMonday–SundayServes Ithaca College, South Hill and Downtown Ithaca.11SIthaca College / South Hill ShopperSaturday–SundayWeekend shopper service linking Ithaca College and South Hill with southwest shopping.13Fall Creek + NorthsideMonday–SundayServes Fall Creek, Northside, Stewart Park and Downtown Ithaca.14West Hill + HospitalMonday–SundayServes West Hill and Cayuga Medical Center.14SWest Hill ShopperMonday–SaturdayConnects West Hill neighborhoods with southwest shopping.15Southside ShoppingMonday–SundayServes Southside and southwest shopping. Many trips interline with Route 32.17TCAT + Fall Creek + CommonsMonday–SundayConnects the TCAT facility, Fall Creek and Ithaca Commons.30Ithaca Mall via CornellMonday–FridayWeekday service between Downtown Ithaca, Cornell and The Shops at Ithaca Mall.30WIthaca Mall via CornellSaturday–SundayWeekend variant of Route 30, serving Cornell West Campus instead of Central Campus.31EtnaMonday–FridayWeekday service between Cornell, Winston Court, the Lab of Ornithology and Etna.31WEtnaSaturday–SundayWeekend variant of Route 31, with service extended to Downtown Ithaca.32Airport via CornellMonday–SundayConnects Downtown Ithaca and Cornell with Ithaca Tompkins International Airport.51Eastern Heights via CornellMonday–SundayServes Downtown Ithaca, Cornell, East Hill Plaza and Eastern Heights.

Rural services (former TOMTRAN routes)

Route # Route name Days of service Notes20EnfieldMonday–SaturdayConnects Enfield with Downtown Ithaca; select weekday trips serve Cornell.21TrumansburgMonday–SundayConnects Trumansburg and Jacksonville with Downtown Ithaca; select weekday trips serve Cornell.36Lansing / Shops at Ithaca Mall / CampusMonday–FridayServes Lansing, the Ithaca Mall area and Cornell.37Lansing via WarrenMonday–SundayConnects Downtown Ithaca and Cornell with Warren Road and Lansing.40Freeville + GrotonMonday–SundayConnects Downtown Ithaca with Freeville and Groton.43Dryden–TC3Monday–SundayConnects Downtown Ithaca with Dryden and Tompkins Cortland Community College.43GDryden–TC3–Freeville–GrotonMonday–SundayDesignation used for select Route 43 trips continuing beyond TC3 to Freeville and Groton.52Brooktondale + Slaterville SpringsMonday–SundayServes Brooktondale, Caroline and Slaterville Springs; select trips serve Cornell.65DanbyMonday–FridayConnects Danby with Downtown Ithaca; select trips serve Ithaca College and Cornell.67NewfieldMonday–SundayConnects Newfield with Downtown Ithaca; select weekday trips serve Cornell.

Seasonal services

Routes 22 and 23 operate only during TCAT's summer service period.

Route # Route name Days of service Notes22Summer parks routeMonday–Friday (summer only)Serves area parks and the Cayuga Nature Center, including Taughannock Falls State Park.23Summer parks routeSaturday–Sunday (summer only)Weekend service to Taughannock Falls, Robert H. Treman and Buttermilk Falls state parks.

Cornell University campus services (former CU Transit routes)

Route # Route name Days of service Notes81Cornell Campus CirculatorMonday–FridayServes A Lot, Hasbrouck Apartments, North Campus and Central Campus.82Cornell–East Hill LoopMonday–FridayConnects Cornell Central Campus with East Hill Plaza.90Downtown–Cornell NightsMonday–SundayNight service between Downtown Ithaca, Collegetown and Cornell.92Cornell Evening & NightMonday–SundayEvening and night service Monday–Saturday; daytime Cornell service on Sunday.

Fleet TCAT operates a mix of fifty-one 35 ft and 40 ft transit buses and three small 14-seat buses. All TCAT buses are wheelchair accessible. The fleet is composed of vehicles manufactured by Gillig, New Flyer Industries, and Orion Bus Industries.

In March 2024, TCAT pulled all 7 Proterra battery-electric buses due to its build defects. In response, TCAT has received 5 hybrid buses from CDTA in Albany, as well as ordering 5 new diesel and 6 new battery-electric buses from Gillig, all of which has entered service. Two additional hybrid buses from the same manufacturer will arrive by 2026.

Current fleet Fleet number(s)YearPhotosManufacturerModelEngineTransmissionNotes1110–11162011 OrionVII EPA10 (07.501)Cummins ISL9Allison B400R1115 written off after a fire in 20181501–15022015 GilligLow Floor 40Allison B500R1601–16052016 1801–18112017 Cummins L91901–19092018 New FlyerXD40Allison B400R1910–19122019 FreightlinerS2 35Allison 2500 PTS2101-21022021 New FlyerXD40Allison B400R2103-2110 ProterraZX5 Removed from service indefinitely due to build quality issues2201-22022022 FordE4502501-25052025 GilligLow Floor 40Cummins L9Allison B500R2506-2511 Low Floor EV 40Replacement for out-of-service Proterra buses2601-26022026 Low Floor 40 HybridCummins L9Allison eGen Flex H 40 hybrid system4053, 40552010 Cummins ISL9Allison H 40 EP hybrid systemFormer CDTA buses5502-5503, 55082009 BRT 40 HybridCummins ISLAllison EP40 hybrid system

Past Fleet

Fleet number(s)YearPhotosManufacturerModelEngineTransmissionNotes201-2092002New FlyerD40LFDetroit Diesel Series 40Allison B400R601–6082006GilligLow Floor 40Cummins ISLAllison B500R610–612 FordE450613–614GilligLow Floor 40 HybridCummins ISLAllison EP40 hybrid system701–7032007901–9022010Low Floor 40Cummins ISL9Allison B500R1102–1103 2011Low Floor 40 HybridAllison H 40 EP hybrid system1104-1109, 1118 2011Low Floor 40Allison B500R25062005GilligLow Floor 40Cummins ISL 8.3L dieselAllison B400REx-Harrisburg, PA

Fares TCAT charges an adult fare at $1.50 for all trips. Cash customers are entitled to one free transfer upon request. Seniors and those with disabilities pay half-fare, as do children under 18. Additionally, up to three children, aged five or younger, travel free with an adult.

Historical images

Sources

External links