Cornell University
OP-T2-29: Mass Transit Programs

The Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) regional transit system (http://www.tcatbus.com/) includes routes that circulate through campus with the frequency of a shuttle, as well as connecting the campus to nearby retail, commercial and residential areas. All university employees can use their Cornell ID to ride buses free within a zone that encompasses the campus, the City of Ithaca and nearby retail areas. TCAT also runs commuter routes through surrounding neighborhoods and communities in Tompkins County and other adjacent counties. Employees who choose to forego a campus parking permit are eligible for the OmniRide program, which allows unlimited travel on any TCAT transit bus within Tompkins County, seven days a week. Employees who live outside the county can also join OmniRide and receive a discounted pass for use on their county’s transit system. http://transportation.fs.cornell.edu/commuting/busservices/employees.cfm Students are provided unlimited no fee access to the entire regional transit system during their first year of matriculation. After the first year, all students retain no fee access to transit at night and on weekends, and they are encouraged to purchase university subsidized Student OmniRide passes that provide unlimited access to all TCAT routes. http://transportation.fs.cornell.edu/commuting/busservices/students.cfm The City of Ithaca, Tompkins County and Cornell University are equal partners in TCAT. In additon, Cornell University is the single largest fare paying customer of TCAT. Total annual university contributions to TCAT exceed $3.2 million annually.