• Spectran helps people who need extra care

UPDATE: INGHAM COUNTY - Steve Cox has been driving a bus for two years. He, however, is not a normal bus driver on the main road that goes from point A to point B. Instead, he drives Spectran and picks up people who need extra care.

Spectran is the small buses offered by CATA that goes to curb to curb and picks up people with disabilities or elderly. The history of the service goes back to 30 years when the CATA Transportation System realized the need for people with wheel chair.

Spectran carries people day to day with schedules based on appointment. Appointments can be made a day before the need because of the large number of bus drivers who work hard for the service.

Before calling in, every person has to go through an agency accompanied with CATA that will go through their health background to see what kind of equipment they need for a ride.

Spectran costs double the fare of a regular fare which is a $1.25 and it has beneficial for many but this may change if the millage doesn't pass.

The Ingham County Board Of Commissioners say voters to place on August 7th ballot in additional .12 mills for Public Transportation Millage that is primarily for elderly and disabled in Ingham County.

Sandy Draggoo, the Executive director for CATA, says Spectran is the service that she gets the most feedback. "We have many type of equipment that can lift anyone as well as operators to help them out."

If approved, this millage will raise an estimated additional $784,000 for the transportation system. If this millage is passed, the Spectran service will continue get funding for the public transportation system to be used primarily by elderly and disabled people in Ingham County.



ORIGINAL STORY: INGHAM COUNTY - The curb to curb bus service picks up people with extra care.