Cities Area Transit
Public transit system in North Dakota and Minnesota
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[1] Paratransit for those who are unable to use the regular bus under the ADA, and a service for seniors, are provided under contract by Grand Forks Taxi.[2][3]
| |
 A Cities Area Transit bus at the Downtown Transit Center in Grand Forks. | |
| Founded | early-1980's |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 255 North 4th Street, Grand Forks, ND |
| Service area | Grand Forks, North Dakota East Grand Forks, Minnesota |
| Service type | Bus service, Dial-a-Ride |
| Routes | 15 |
| Fleet | 39 |
| Daily ridership | 780 Riders Per Day (2024) |
| Annual ridership | 282,270 (2024) |
| Website | CAT Bus |
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.[4]
Routes
Routes generally run from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday-Friday, and 8:00 am to 10:00 pm on Saturday (No service is offered Sundays or federal holidays). A Night route covers the city from approximately 5:55 pm to 10:00 pm, with service finishing for the night at 10:00 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 routes 8 and 9.
Scheduled bus route details are listed below:[5]
| Name | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red Route 1 | UND Campus – Stanford Center – Downtown | |
| Red Route 2 | Valley Middle School – St. Anne's – Downtown | |
| Orange Route 3 | Altru Columbia Rd – Midtown – Downtown | |
| Orange Route 4 | Northland College – Campbell Library – Downtown | East Grand Forks north major shopping and educational services areas |
| Green Route 5 | UND Campus – West Walmart – Downtown | UND service runs east and west along University Avenue. Operates every 15-30 minutes |
| Light Blue Route 6 | Northland College – Campbell Library - Downtown | East Grand Forks north major shopping and educational services areas |
| Blue Route 7 | Columbia Mall – Midtown – Downtown | |
| Purple Route 8 | Altru Columbia Rd – Target – UND Campus | UND service runs east and west along University Avenue |
| Pink Route 9 | Target – Altru Columbia Rd – UND Campus | UND service runs east and west along University Avenue |
| Gold Route 10 | Choice Health & Fitness – Walmart – Downtown | |
| Grey Route 22 | Evening Service Only | 5:50 pm – 9:55 pm |
| UND Red Route | University Ave – Campus Road | 15-minute service, runs clockwise from 7:38 am – 4:38 pm |
| UND Blue Route | Campus Road – University Ave | 15-minute service, runs counterclockwise from 7:31 am – 4:31 pm |
| UND Purple Route | University Ave – 6th Ave – Wellness Center – Med School | 20-minute service, runs clockwise from 7:37 am – 4:37 pm |
| UND Night Route | UND Campus Evening Service Only | 30-minute service (Monday-Thursday only) from 5:08 am – 9:54 pm |
Fares
The Cities Area Transit fares are:[6]
| Type | Cash Fare | 10-Ride Card | 31-Day Pass | 14-Day Pass | Day Pass | Summer Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | $2.00 | $17.50 | $40.00 | $21.00 | $6.50 | N/A |
| K-12 Student | $1.00 | $8.50 | $40.00 | $21.00 | $6.50 | $21.00 |
| Seniors Age 62+ | $0.80 | $7.00 | $40.00 | $21.00 | $6.50 | N/A |
| Disabled Card Holder | $0.80 | $7.00 | $40.00 | $21.00 | $6.50 | N/A |
| Medicare Card Holder | $0.80 | $7.00 | $40.00 | $21.00 | $6.50 | N/A |
Downtown Transfer Station
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.[7]
| Year | Ridership | Change | Ridership per capita |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 226,598 | N/A | 4.01 |
| 2006 | 217,116 |  4.18% | 3.84 |
| 2007 | 215,234 | 0.87% | 3.8 |
| 2008 | 257,816 |  19.78% | 4.56 |
| 2009 | 271,704 | 5.39% | 4.8 |
| 2010 | 282,615 | 4.02% | 5.0 |
| 2011 | 328,880 | 16.37% | 5.37 |
| 2012 | 371,242 | 12.88% | 6.06 |
| 2013 | 364,317 | 1.87% | 5.95 |
| 2014 | 346,673 | 4.84% | 5.66 |
| 2015 | 336,652 | 2.89% | 5.49 |
| 2016 | 317,992 | 5.54% | 5.19 |
| 2017 | 280,289 | 11.86% | 4.57 |
| 2018 | 253,657 | 9.50% | 4.14 |
| 2019 | 225,141 | 11.24% | 3.67 |
| 2020 | 141,914 | 36.97% | 2.32 |
| 2021 | 174,762 | 23.15% | 2.85 |
| 2022 | 233,844 | 33.81% | 3.82 |
| 2023 | 258,970 | 10.74% | 4.23 |
| 2024 | 282,270 | 9.00% | [citation needed] |
