Students will soon be able to hop on a bus to get to class, go to the movie theater and go shopping when the city’s new bus service begins in February. The best part? Rides are free with a TTU student I.D.
The service-called CATS or the Cookeville Area Transit System-is part of a new city bus service offered by the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency.
The Purple Route, dedicated to campus, the Cookeville Regional Medical Center area and Tech Village, will wind its way around campus and offer seven stops, plus flag down areas, for Tennessee Tech students.
During the day, students can transfer to the Green Route, the main city route, to go to restaurants, shopping centers, grocery stores and other popular locations. The transfer point will be located on the Purple Route stop at CRMC on Cedar Avenue.
On evenings and weekends, Green Route adds stops at the movie theater, TTU’s Clement Hall and hotels located near Bunker Hill Road.
Purple Route stops are marked with CATS signs; the bus also will stop in areas where the speed limit is less than 20 mph if a student waves for service.
Look for the bus with cat ears and whiskers on the front. The colorfully wrapped buses will also sport a TTU logo.
Buses will run from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday. Saturday service will be from 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. Buses will not run on Sunday.
Students must show a TTU I.D. in order to ride at no charge. Without an I.D., the ride is $1. This service is provided to current TTU students as a part of their on-campus housing and campus access benefits.
In addition, faculty and staff can ride for free.
CATS will begin operation in mid-February. For more information and regularly updated bus routes, visit www.uchra.com/cats.
