Lori Consalvi is interested in nursing. She thought volunteering at Centre Community Hospital would give her an idea of what it is like to be a nurse.

But the fact that Consalvi does not have a car put a crimp in her plans.

"When I went to volunteer, they said they'd rather that their volunteers have cars, because there's no bus service and it's so far to walk during winter," said Consalvi (freshman-division of undergraduate studies).

Those who wish to get to the hospital can drive, take a taxi or walk. But unless they're willing to pay $6, they can't take a bus. The Centre Area Transportation Authority does not have regular bus service to the hospital.

Suzanne DeTuerk, the hospital's coordinator of volunteer services, said she has been trying to get CATA to extend regular bus service to the hospital for years. The lack of bus service causes problems for many of the hospital's University volunteers, DeTuerk said.

One student volunteer who did not have a car tried rollerblading to the hospital and ended up getting a ticket, she said.

CATA has not offered regular service to the hospital since 1991, when a pilot program offering a route from campus to the hospital was canceled because of low ridership, said David Harry, CATA director of service development. The bus route was causing CATA to lose money, he added.

But DeTuerk said CATA itself was to blame for the low ridership because the company didn't publicize the route enough.

"By the time enough people found out about it, they had canceled the program," DeTuerk said.

Harry said CATA publicized the hospital route as much as its other routes, listing it in schedules and ride guides.

CATA has no plans to resume bus service to the hospital, Harry said.

"Service to the hospital just doesn't pay," he said.

Bus service to the hospital is available to area residents, but for most people it would cost significantly more than a regular CATA bus ride. Centre Ride, operated through Handy Delivery of State College, offers free rides to the hospital to area residents who are 65 and older or who are physically disabled, said Mark Bowman, general manager of Centre Ride.

Others who wish to use the service must pay fares similar to taxi rates, he said. For example, a one-way ride from downtown State College to the hospital costs $6. By comparison, a round-trip ride on CATA's Centre Line bus route costs $1.70.

"If there was a bus going out there, I would take it," said Betty Blackadar, a hospital volunteer. She added that there should be a better way for people to get to the hospital.

The hospital provides van transportation for patients needing regular medical treatment, such as radiation and dialysis, said Wilda Stanfield, a hospital public relations secretary. Many patients are not affected by the lack of regular bus service to the hospital because they live in rural areas that are outside CATA's route, she added.

Car pooling helps some students get around the lack of bus service to the hospital. Clotilde D'Amore (junior-exercise and sports science) is on the hospital volunteer waiting list. She said she hopes to carpool to the hospital with other volunteers.

But even carpooling can have its drawbacks.

"If your hours are changed from the person's you are getting a ride from, you have a problem," she said.