Citizens Area Transit

Infobox Bus transit
name = Citizens Area Transit

logo_size = 250
parent = Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
founded = December 5, 1992
headquarters = Las Vegas, Nevada
locale = Las Vegas, Nevada
service_area = Las Vegas, North Las Vegas Henderson, Boulder City
service_type = Bus, Bus Rapid Transit, Paratransit
routes = 37
stops = 3700+
hubs = 2
stations = 22 (MAX Line)
fleet = 430 Fixed Route; 272 Paratransit
ridership = 190,000 (weekday)
fuel_type = Diesel, Ultra Low-Sulfur Diesel, Bio-Diesel, CNG.
operator = Veolia Transportation
(fixed-route service)
First Transit
(ADA Paratransit)
ceo = Jacob Snow, General Manager
website = [http://rtcsnv.com rtcsnv.com]

Citizens Area Transit (or "CAT") is currently the name of the bus system in the Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada area. Not all of Clark County is serviced by regular scheduled routes. The routes primarily operate within the greater Las Vegas area. The CAT system is owned by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada.

History

Citizens Area Transit was formed by the Regional Transportation Commission of Clark County to provide reliable bus service to the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Mesquite, and Laughlin. The system began on December 5, 1992 under the direction of Kurt Weinrich, the general manager at that time. The fleet consisted of mostly old vehicles like Flixble Grumman's, GMC RTS's, and Gillig Phantoms. They also had purchased 90 brand new New Flyer D40's. Before CAT had started operations, the privately owned Las Vegas Transit System, Inc. ran the streets of Las Vegas for more than 40 years. Las Vegas Transit service mainly consisted of loop routes that made many turns throughout the city, sometimes doubling back on its own routes and making several "subloops" within a loop. At one point, LVT was named America's worst transit system. Under pressure by the county and state, and by court order of the state court, LVTS Inc. was ordered to cease operations and relinquish all its equipment, land, and property to the RTC.

Soon after starting up operations, CAT began to catch on with the city and blossomed. In 1997, the American Public Transportation Association awarded CAT the highest honor, Best Transit System in America (within its category). CAT was on top of American transit and it was great times. However, things began to change rapidly in the following years. In 2002, The Amalgamated Transit Union and the bus contractor began renewal contract talks. However, both sides were unable to reach any compromise on operators' wages and in May of that year, CAT suffered its very first strike. Several drivers walked off the job and on to the picket lines leaving the system crippled. Coach operators from sister agencies were called in to drive the buses and serve the city. Eventually, all was settled and things returned back to normal.

In 2004, CAT received its first shipment of 10 BRT vehicles from Irisbus. These buses were placed on the new MAX Line that serves North Las Vegas Boulevard. Only a year later, CAT received its first shipment of 50 double decker buses from Alexander Dennis. This brings CAT back into the game of ordering buses in big orders (considering they only order a few buses each time).

In March 2007, CAT received its first shipment of 30 Diesel-Electric Hybrid vehicles from New Flyer. Later that year, 40 double deck vehicles from Alexander Dennis arrived on site. While new vehicles continue to arrive and replace the older vehicles at CAT, the RTC is unveiling a new rapid transit system, called ACE. The first line will be called "ACE Downtown Connector" and will service the downtown and strip corridors.

Rebrand

In late 2007, the RTC began slowly rebranding the current Citizens Area Transit system. Some of the changes have been: The current CAT bus stop signs are being replaced by signs that say "Transit Stop", with only the RTC logo on them. Also, all the public media that the RTC has released no longer has any CAT logo, or mentions CAT in any way, instead referring to the fixed-route system as the RTC fixed-route system. All rider alerts, bus announcements, bus books, even the new NABI Hybrid & NABI Diesel buses no longer have the CAT logo on them. Another example is when any ads are placed on the exterior of the bus, they are usually "conveniently" covering the CAT logo, but sometimes leaving the RTC logo visible. When calling the customer service line, it previously said, "Thank you for calling the Citizens Area Transit customer service line", and now saying, "Thank you for calling the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada".

Equipment

CAT operates Irisbus Civis diesel electric vehicles on one route traversing North Las Vegas Boulevard, connecting Nellis AFB to the Downtown Transportation Center (DTC). This service is known as MAX. These Civis vehicles operate in a dedicated lane and are self steering, with the driver controlling acceleration and braking. This is the first use of this type of vehicle in the United States.

On October 27, 2005 CAT added a fleet of double decker buses on The Strip Route. The route is now called "The Deuce".

On April 26, 2007, Coach 902 was the first 900 series coach to be placed into regular fixed-route service. It served Line 208 on this afternoon and brought a new era of hybrid technology with it.

In February 2008, RTC received 50 brand new buses from NABI. 30 were of hybrid technology, 20 were of regular diesel power.

Fares

Fares as of December 1, 2005

Fare Type	Regular	1Reduced: Seniors/Students
Residential One-Way Fare:	$1.25	$0.60
Strip One-Way Fare:	$2.00	$1.00
One-Trip Ridecard (same as One-Way Fare):	$1.25	$0.60
Residential 1-Day Pass:	$2.502	$1.252
Strip 1-Day Pass:	$5.00	$5.00
30-Day Pass:	$40.00	$20.00

NOTE: Although Routes 107, 110, 202, and 204 now use double-deck buses, fares on that route are the RESIDENTIAL prices.

¹ To be able to purchase reduced rides and passes, you MUST show some type of reduced identification, whether it be a high school ID, CAT Reduced ID, or another transit systems Reduced Card.
² To use this pass on the DEUCE, you must pay an additional 50 cents EACH TIME you board.

On July 6, 2008, the RTC posted a public notice in the Las Vegas Review Journal about proposed fare adjustments with meetings scheduled in July.

Beginning on January 11, 2009, the new fare structure is as follows:

Fare Type	Regular	1Reduced: Seniors/Students
Residential One-Way Fare:	$1.75	$0.75
Strip One-Way Fare:	$3.00	$1.50
One-Trip Ridecard (same as Red. One-Way Fare):	$1.75	$0.75
Residential 1-Day Pass:	$4.001	$2.001
Strip 1-Day Pass:	$7.00	$7.00
Strip 3-Day Pass:	$20.00	$10.00
30-Day Pass:	$55.00	$25.00

¹ To use this pass on the DEUCE, you must pay an additional 1 dollar EACH TIME you board.

Then, beginning on January 10, 2010, the new fare structure will be as follows:

Fare Type	Regular	1Reduced: Seniors/Students
Residential One-Way Fare:	$2.00	$1.00
Strip One-Way Fare:	$3.00	$1.50
One-Trip Ridecard (same as Red. One-Way Fare):	$2.00	$1.00
Residential 1-Day Pass:	$5.001	$2.001
Strip 1-Day Pass:	$7.00	$7.00
Strip 3-Day Pass:	$20.00	$10.00
30-Day Pass:	$65.00	$30.00

¹ To use this pass on the DEUCE, you must pay an additional $1.50 EACH TIME you board.

Route numbers

Future Routes

*ACE Downtown Connector: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route to serve the downtown and strip areas. The ACE is set to replace the successful MAX BRT system. This route is currently under construction.

Current Routes

*101-119: Local North/South service within the Las Vegas Valley.
*201-219: Local East/West service within the Las Vegas Valley.
*402: Connector route.
*705-717: Special senior citizen routes.
*MAX: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Route currently servicing Las Vegas Blvd. North.
*DEUCE: Exclusive Las Vegas Strip service.

*You can also look at a list of the Current Citizens Area Transit Routes

Former Routes

*1 - Maryland Pkwy
*2 - West Flamingo/East Tropicana
*3 - Spring Mountain Rd./East Sahara
*4 - West Sahara/East Desert Inn Rd.
*5 - West Oakey/Stewart
*6 - West Charleston/East Lake Mead
*7 - West Vegas Drive/East Charleston
*8 - Smoke Ranch Rd./East Bonanza Rd.
*9 - Cheyenne/East Owens Blvd
*10 - Jones/Valley View
*11 - Decatur
*12 - Eastern
*13 - Pecos
*14 - Salt Lake Highway
*15 - Boulder Highway
*16 - Las Vegas Strip
*17 - Las Vegas Strip Express
*18 - Las Vegas Strip Shuttle
*19 - Las Vegas Blvd. South/Flamingo Rd.
*20 - Rainbow Rd./West Tropicana Ave.
*21 - Carey/H Street
*22 - Mall Hopper
*112 - Desert Inn/Lamb
*118 - Fort Apache/Rampart
*205 - Oakey Blvd.
*216 - Henderson
*301 - Las Vegas Strip (replaced by the DEUCE)
*302 - Las Vegas Strip Express (replaced by the DEUCE)
*303 - Outlet Mall Circulator (replaced by the DEUCE)
*401 - Downtown Connector
*403 - North Las Vegas Connector
*404 - East Downtown Henderson
*405 - Northwest Circulator
*406 - West Downtown Henderson
*407 - Boulder Highway Limited
*551 - Special shuttle connecting the DTC with the Las Vegas Monorail.
*601 - Laughlin
*602 - Mesquite/Bunkerville
*603 - Laughlin
*701 - CAT CAR
*702 - CAT CAR Henderson
*707 - Silver Star - Railroad Pass
*710 - Silver Star - Winchester/Paradise
*713 - Silver Star - Summerlin
*801 - Blue Line Express: Las Vegas Blvd North
*802 - Red Line Express: Rancho Drive
*803 - Green Line Express: West Tropicana Ave
*804 - Gold Line Express: East Tropicana Ave
*805 - Rose Line Express: Sahara Ave
*806 - Orange Line Express: Eastern Ave
*807 - Bronze Line Express: Flamingo Road
*808 - Coral Line Express: Charleston Blvd

Bus Fleet

Active

Retired

Notes:
¹ Although these coaches were fairly new, they were retired due to their small capacity. At least one has been sold to Tijuana, Mexico.
² These coaches were rejected by RTC and acquired by LACMTA.
³ Units 301, 305, 309, 310, 311, 312 were given to the Southern Nevada Transit Coalition to operate under the "Silver Rider" transit system, which is based in Laughlin and Mesquite, Nevada.
⁴ Unit 302 was sold to a private citizen and now sits in a small car shop in west Las Vegas awaiting sale to a new owner.
⁵ Units 501, 502, and 503 were sold to ABC bus company in Florida.

Accidents/Incidents

Throughout the 15 years of service, CAT has seen its share of accidents and incidents. Recent accidents/incidents involving CAT buses have gotten attention of the local media.

July 19, 2006

On the night of July 19, 2006, a Deuce double decker bus (Coach 224) blew a tire while traveling north on Interstate 15 and collided head on with a semi-truck which was heading southbound on I-15. The accident occurred around 10:00 pm, but since the two vehicles were so massive in size and had created a massive accident, it took cleanup crew until about 10:00 am the following morning to finish the scene. The driver of the bus survived while the driver of the truck did die. The investigation is citing the contracted maintenance company, Veolia Transportation, for not checking that tire properly, as it was reported in by drivers many times prior to the accident.

January 3, 2008

On the night of January 3, 2008, a CAT bus collided through 2 brick walls before finally hitting a house and coming to rest. Around 9:30 pm, CAT bus 915, route 207, was heading south on Christy Lane and turning left onto Mabel Road, when a Ford Mustang car collided with the bus. This sent the bus out of control and sent it through to the house. There were 3 minor injures on the bus, and unconfirmed injures in the Mustang. The bus was not taken out of the property until the next morning, because officials were concerned that the bus might have made the house structurally unsafe. However, support columns were placed in the house and the bus was removed.

March 17, 2008

On the night of March 17, 2008, CAT bus number 653 hit and killed a pedestrian at the intersection of Washington and Rancho.

July 7, 2008

On the morning of July 7, 2008, A red truck hit the CAT bus stop on Boulder Highway and Flamingo Road, killing 1 woman and seriously injuring another woman. The driver was arrested and officers said he was under the influence of presription painkillers. [http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?s=8627463 Story from KVBC.COM]

July 8, 2008

The day following a deadly crash at a CAT bus stop, another incident occurred with a naked man stealing a bus. At around 7:30 a.m., Charles Sell was naked near Washington Ave. and Lamb Blvd, when police say he stole beer from a 7-11, and then proceeded to steal CAT paratransit vehicle 1792. He punched the door glass, boarded, and took control, while the bus driver jumped off for safety. A few hundred yards away, he jumped off while the bus continued in motion. A Metro officer boarded and stopped the vehicle. Police arrested Sell and booked him into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of Grand Larceny Auto and Robbery. [http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?s=8640386 Story from Kvbc.com]

ervice area

CAT operates a grid-type system within the Las Vegas Valley, which includes the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City. The system's two busiest routes, THE DEUCE and Route 109 Maryland Parkway, provide service to the Las Vegas Strip and McCarran International Airport, respectively. A majority of Las Vegas Valley residents live within a half-mile of CAT service, but this percentage seems to be decreasing, as CAT is not expanding the service area as fast as the metropolitan area is expanding.Fact|date=November 2007

CAT also operates event-specific routes for special events such as auto races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, sporting events at Sam Boyd Stadium, Art In The Park events in Boulder City, and air shows at Nellis Air Force Base.

Routes, times, frequencies and stops

Most routes run from early morning (04:00) until late night (01:00). Some routes operate less frequently on weekends and holidays. 15 routes operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including THE DEUCE and 109/Maryland Parkway. Las Vegas has one of the most comprehensive night bus networks in the United States, owing to the 24 hour nature of the casinos and hospitality industry.

pecial services

Even though all buses in the system have wheelchair lifts, CAT operates CAT Paratransit for people who have difficulty in accessing the regular transit system. By-appointment-only paratransit is a door-to-door service. CAT also maintains an open charge account with a local taxicab company to service paratransit ridership when unforeseen delays occur, frequently caused by traffic congestion.

External links

Official Sites

* [http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com RTC of Southern Nevada] , owns CAT.
* [http://www.nvfast.org/index.html Freeway and Arterial System of Transportation (FAST)] . Department of RTC responsible for traffic camera system.

Bus Fan Sites

* [http://vegasbusyard.com The Vegas Bus Yard] Website featuring pictures of Southern Nevada buses.

References