Students who take the Martin Street, Waupelani Drive and Vairo Boulevard bus routes could see additional service in the fall thanks to more state funding for the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA).

A list of proposed changes for the upcoming fiscal year includes increased frequency of service on the three routes during times other than "rush hour" when classes are in session. Rush hour includes the early morning commuting times at about 8 a.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m., said Jackie Sheader, marketing coordinator for CATA.

The community could also see expanded weekend operating hours on the Toftrees, Cato Park, Nittany Mall, Medical Center and Valley Vista routes, Sheader wrote in an e-mail.

The changes are to be included in the proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on July 1. The service changes would be implemented in late summer, said Hugh Mose, executive director of CATA.

"We make our annual service changes at the end of August. If we made a decision in the next six weeks about one of our strategies, it would be included in our budget that would go into effect July 1 and would be implemented the last Monday in August," Mose said.

Other proposed changes include increased Saturday frequencies on the Toftrees and Valley Vista routes and Sunday service on selected holidays such as Fourth of July.

Brittany Bonnell (freshman-secondary math education), who frequently rides the Waupelani Drive route, said additional service would be beneficial.

"With all the apartments out there, that's definitely a good thing," she said.

Intensive English Communication Program students Boyoung Byun and Hyunjin Kim, who both frequently ride the Waupelani Drive route, said increased service along the route would help them avoid lengthy waits.

"Sometimes you have to wait a long time -- especially at night," Byun said. "It takes, like, an hour."

CATA also detailed some enhancements that will require additional time but are recognized as service needs. These "long-term" projects include increased frequency of service during the morning peak hour on the Toftrees and Valley Vista routes and increased frequency of service all day on the Medical Center route, including increased service to the University Park Airport.

The increase in services is partially because of a major increase in state funding this year, Mose said. Under the $946 million transit bill signed by Gov. Ed Rendell in July, CATA received $2.9 million, or, a 55 percent increase in state funds. However, the same bill, Act 44, also authorizes tolling of Interstate 80, which has been a point of contention among lawmakers in recent months.

Mose said CATA is being cautious in allocating the funds because of the uncertainty of the legislation. "The concern at CATA is that if tolling does not occur, the entire legislation will start to unravel," he said. "We don't want to over-commit with Act 44, which will allow us to increase services, and then find out that it doesn't live up to expectations."