
Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, also known as Tompkins TCAT, is a private, non-profit public transportation operator, created by Cornell University, Tompkins County, and the City of Ithaca. Tompkins TCAT operates transit service from Ithaca Mall, Ithaca Commons, and Cornell University to many destinations across the region.
Headquarters Location
Tompkins TCAT bus garage and main headquarters building is located at 737 Willow Avenue, Ithaca, NY, 14850, right off of Meadow Street.
Routes
Thirty-four bus routes comprise the TCAT system. Routes are identified by number and are usually indicated on a marquee at the front of the bus, and sometimes on the side as well. TCAT’s main hub is Green Street Station, near Ithaca Commons, a two-block pedestrian mall in downtown Ithaca. Most non-South Hill routes run through the Cornell University campus as; East Avenue near Tower Road is considered a secondary hub.
- Route 10 Cornell – Commons Shuttle
- Route 11 Ithaca College – Commons
- Route 13 Commons – Fall Creek
- Route 14 Cayuga Medical Center – West Hill – Commons
- Route 14S West Hill – Shopping
- Route 15 Southside Shopping – Commons
- Route 17 TCAT – Fall Creek – Commons
- Route 20 Enfield – Commons
- Route 21 Trumansburg – Jacksonville – Commons – Cornell
- Route 22 Summer Special – Taughannock Falls, Cass Park, Stewart Park, Buttermilk Falls – Commons
- Route 30 Shops at Ithaca Mall – Cornell – Commons
- Route 31 Etna – Cornell – Winston Court
- Route 32 Airport – Cornell – Commons
- Route 36 Lansing School – Cornell – Commons
- Route 37 Lansing Town Hall – Cornell – Commons
- Route 40 Freeville – Groton – Cornell – Commons
- Route 43 Groton – Freeville – Dryden – Cornell – Commons
- Route 51 Eastern Heights – Cornell – Commons
- Route 52 Caroline – Brooktondale – Cornell – Commons
- Route 53 Ellis Hollow – Varna – Cornell – Commons
- Route 65 Danby – Commons
- Route 67 Newfield – Commons – Cornell
- Route 77 Mall – Warren Road (now a fixed route)
- Route 81 A Lot to B Lot via Central Campus
- Route 82 Hasbrouck to East Hill Plaza via Central Campus
- Route 83 North Campus to West Campus via Central Campus (No Summer Service)
- Route 84 Campus Circulator (Summer Only)
- Route 90 Commons to North Campus via C-Town and Central Campus
- Route 92 North Campus, West Campus, Central and Vet, C-Town and East Hill Plaza (Summer Only)

Bus Fleet Roster
The bus fleet compiles 54 buses mostly 40 feet long, with a few cutaway buses. The first two digits of the fleet number represent the last two digits of the year the vehicle was built. In the case of buses built between 2000 and 2009, only the first digit represents the year it was built. For example, 601 would be built in 2006, and 901 would be built in 2009. Following this, it’s clear that 1101 would be a 2011 model.
Year | Make/Model | Image | Engine/Transmission | Fleet Numbers | Notes |
2005 | Gillig Low Floor | ![]() | Cummins ISL/ Voith D864.5 | 2506 | EX-CAT Harrisburg |
2011 | Gillig Low Floor | ![]() | Cummins ISL/ Allison B400R-5 | 1104-1106, 1108, 1109, 1118 | |
2011 | Orion 7.501 “VII 3rd Generation” | ![]() | Cummins ISL/ Allison B400R-5 | 1110-1116 | 1115 retired due to fire |
2014 | Chevrolet/ ARBOC Cutaway | ![]() | Chevrolet G4500 Chassis | 1402, 1403 | |
2015- 2016 | Gillig Low Floor | ![]() | Cummins ISL9/ Allison B400R6 | 1501, 1502, 1601-1605 | |
2018 | Gillig Low Floor | ![]() | Cummins L9/ Allison B400R6 | 1801-1811 | |
2019-2021 | New Flyer XD40 | ![]() | Engine: Cummins L9/ Allison B400R6 | 1901-1909 2101, 2102 | |
2019 | IC Bus/ Champion Cutaway | Champion Defender Body | 1910-1912 | ||
2021 | Proterra ZX5 | ![]() | Electric Transit Bus | 2103-2109 | First Electric buses in the fleet |
2022 | Ford E450/ Coach and Equipment Phoenix | Ford E450 Chassis | 2201, 2202 |
Notes:
*1115, 2517, an un-numbered ex-RTS Gillig Low Floor, and an un-numbered ex-Centro D40LF all sit inactive at the Garage, awaiting parts/retirement.