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New Castle Area Transit Authority

1959 - Present


The New Castle Area Transit Authority (NCATA) was formed in 1959 to provide transit service in the New Castle, PA area. Prior to the NCATA, the Shenango Valley Transportation Company (SVTC) provided the service but a labor dispute shut the company down in 1958.

For a year, the area was without transit service until the NCATA was created and operational. Initially, NCATA started bus operations with former SVTC equipment. The buses were used for the service were 14 GM TDH3207's and 1 GM TD3206 which were 1945 through 1948 vintage. The SVTC had some newer equipment but the newer buses were sold off to help pay off outstanding debts of the company. 1963 saw the addition of 3 second hand GM's added to the fleet.

The NCATA's first order of new coaches occurred in 1966 with the purchase of 5 Carpenter MT (20-24) and 10 MiniBus MB-711 (25-34) coaches. These coaches replaced some of the original SVTC coaches that the NCATA started out with.

A second order of coaches were ordered in 1972. This order was for 12 Highway Products Twin Coaches (25-46). These coaches allowed for the complete retirement of the remaining SVTC equipment as well as the retirement of some of the MiniBus coaches in the 1966 order which were not holding up as expected, even with the lighter service demands of the New Castle area.

By 1981, the Twins were beginning to fail frequently but the large PennDOT order of Neoplans were on the horizon. As the NCATA allotment of of Neoplans was still a couple of years away, the NCATA turned to leasing equipment from other systems. Most notably were the leases from PAT in Pittsburgh. PAT leased the remaining 500 series coaches it still had to the NCATA and these included the suburban coaches (580-584). Leases were also done from BARTA in Reading, PA.

Also, not recorded in any records that we have been able to locate, a couple of coaches from Richmond VA were also purchased in the late 1970's. One of the Richmond coaches was used as a parts bus for the other GM new look coaches in the fleet at the time and was heavily cannibalized by 1983.

Click for larger viewIn 1983, New Castle literally went from an hodgepodge of older buses in various colors and liveries to a brand new fleet of Neoplan AN435A's overnight. The Neoplans were a tremendous improvement for the NCATA and brought a few firsts to the transit system. The first was an air conditioned fleet of modern coaches and secondly it moved the NCATA from having an average fleet age of over 20 years old to one that was just days old when the Neoplans arrived. The new Neoplans also featured kneelers and electronic destination signs which also added to the many firsts for the operation.

The Neoplans came in as white with red and blue stripes and were numbered 101-112. These buses still basically served the same areas as the older buses with one notable exception. A new commuter run between New Castle and Pittsburgh was set up and the NCATA Neoplans were soon being seen in PAT operating territory.

Click for larger imageThe next order of transit coaches occurred in 1999 when the NCATA purchased 12 35 foot Gillig Advantage low floor coaches (116-127). These coaches came in with a new color metallic medium green with dark green and gold striping. At this time also, many of the 1983 Neoplans were sent out for rebuilding. The rebuilt Neoplans were painted in the new livery and looked very attractive. The Neoplans were relegated to local service at this point and no longer make the long run to Pittsburgh. 2002 saw the purchase of additional Gillig coaches. The new Gilligs (117 - ?) are standard 40 foot Phantom coaches and share the ever more frequent Pittsburgh runs with the low floor coaches. In March 0f 2004, the NCATA purchased 4 used Gillig coaches from a wholesaler in California. Two of these used coaches are to serve the very crowded New Castle to Pittsburgh runs and free up two of the Gillig Low Floors for local service and the other 2 are for the local service and will replace 2 of the rebuilt Neoplans.

The NCATA recently completed a new transportation center to house both the offices as well as the maintenance and storage. Formerly the NCATA was stored and maintained at the Taylor Street facility which was small and antiquated for the ever growing fleet of buses. The original storage and maintenance facility had no connection with the SVTC and was a former trucking facility.

The route structure of the NCATA has grown dramatically between 1999 and 2003. In 1999, there were 8 routes and that has grown to 20 in 2003. Besides the several routes to Pittsburgh, service extends to many areas of Lawrence County now. The NCATA also serves Youngstown, Ohio with 6 round trips where transfer can be made with the Western Reserve Transit Authority.


Equipment from 1959 to Present
NCATA Number Make Model Year Notes
14 GM TDH3207 1947 Acquired 1960 (See Note 1)
15-17 GM TDH3207 1947 Acquired 1959 - SVTC 15-17
20-24 Carpenter MT 1966
25-34 MiniBus MB-711 1966
35-46 Hwy Prod TC-31B 1972
46 GM TDH3207 1948 Acquired 1959 - SVTC 46
49 GM TD3206 1946 Acquired 1959 - SVTC 49
50-55 GM TDH3207 1947 Acquired 1959 - SVTC 50-55
60-61 GM TDH3207 1947 Acquired 1959 - SVTC 60-61
62-63 GM TDH3207 1948 Acquired 1959 - SVTC 62-63
64-65 GM TDH3610 1947 Acquired 1960 - Commonwealth Transit Co (VA)
66 GM TDH3610 1947 Acquired 1960 - West End Transit Co (VA)
101-112 Neoplan AN-435A 1983 Part of the 1000 bus Pennliner order
113-115 WorldTrans ? 1998 Para-transit
116-127 Gillig Advantage 1999 Low Floor
127-? Gillig Phantom 2002
?-? Gillig Phantom 1989 30 foot - Second Hand (2004)
3041-3042 Gillig Phantom 1991 40 foot - Second Hand (2004) (See note 2)
248, 250 GM TDH4517 1961 Leased from LANTA (PA)
516 GM TDH4517 1960 Leased from PAT (PA)
580 GM SDM4501 1962 Leased from PAT (PA)
581 GM SDH4501 1960 Leased from PAT (PA)
582-583 GM SDH4501 1962 Leased from PAT (PA)
595 GM TDH4512 1954 Leased from PAT (PA)
674,678 GM TDH3714 1958 Leased from LANTA (PA)

Notes:

1 - Originally acquired 1960 from the SVTC as their #41. This appeared to be a second or third hand coach as the bus came from Schenectady Transportation Co in NY as their #71 but the serial number of this coach doesn't match a Schenectady order.

2 - Former Foot Hills Transit (CA).


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This page was updated on November 08, 2006

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