Academic Programs Catalog

The campus bus service is provided by the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA). CATA operates fixed routes, serving all university apartments, residence halls, commuter lots, and the main campus 24/7 during fall and spring semesters. Most campus routes do not operate during university breaks or on university-recognized holidays. Additionally, CATA provides direct service to off campus apartments in East Lansing, Lansing, Lansing Township, Okemos, and Haslett areas year round as well as many other destinations in the Greater Lansing area. You can learn about fares, tips for new riders and view the CATA service area online. Visit cata.org for personal trip itineraries,
comprehensive service information and online pass sales.

Free-Fare Campus Fixed-Rate Service - Students, faculty and staff ride for free on all campus fixed routes (Routes 30-39) during fall and spring semesters. Note a fare is required when riding Lot Link, Night Owl, or any off-campus routes. See below.

Paratransit  Service - (Service for Persons with Disabilities) - Spec-Tran is a CATA curb-to-curb service for persons with disabilities who are unable to use CATA fixed-route service. Spec-Tran customers must be certified to be eligible to use this service. MSU customers must contact the MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) 1-517-884-RCPD (4-7273) TTY: 1-517-355-1293 to apply for certification. Spec-Tran ride reservations must be made by 5:00 p.m. the day before a trip is to occur. Rides can be scheduled up to 14 days in advance. Eligible students may obtain free Michigan State University Spec-Tran passes for trips that originate and end on campus by contacting the RCPD office. To schedule a ride, call 1-517-432-8888 or 2-8888 from any campus phone between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily.

Transit App - Transit is CATA’s preferred mobile app for real-time bus departures, bus tracking and comprehensive trip planning options. The free app is available on iPhone and Android devices.

MSU/CATA TRANSPORTATION  CENTER (MSU-CTC) - This indoor facility is the main boarding center for CATA bus routes serving campus. It is located on the ground level of the Shaw Ramp (Ramp 1), between North and South Shaw lanes, just east of the MSU Planetarium. Amenities include phone access to CATA Customer Experience and ride-request phone lines, print maps and timetables, direct access to the Shaw Ramp (Ramp 1), comfortable indoor seating areas, a community policing office, ATM, vending machines and restrooms. The facility is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Those who drive to campus and park in the Shaw Ramp (Ramp 1) can access the MSU-CTC on its ground floor to board a CATA bus for a convenient intermodal commute.



 

MSU Ordinances require any bicycle possessed or operated on campus be registered. Bikes must be in operable condition, and when parked they must be locked at a bike rack, otherwise they may be impounded and fees assessed for retrieval.  Michigan State University, City of Lansing, City of East Lansing, Lansing Township, and Meridian Township bike permits are acceptable.  Permits must be current, valid, and attached to the bicycle frame’s post below the seat, facing the handlebars. Failure to properly display and/or affix the permit may result in bicycle impoundment. Visit www.parking.msu.edu to register your bike (make, color, and serial number must be provided upon registration). Bike registration is complementary. All CATA full sized buses are equipped with bike racks. Each rack accommodates several bikes.

All students whether residing on or off campus must register their vehicle with the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety if they operate their vehicles on campus. In addition, mopeds and electric mobility devices such as electric scooters or electric bicycles operated on campus must be registered with the MSU Police Department.  Failure to do so may result in parking violations and impoundment. Visit www.parking.msu.edu for more information.