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)

Proterra TCAT — TCAT’s Newest Electric Buses, the Proterra ZX-5 40-Foot, Courtesy of the Ithaca Journal

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.

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.

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