Free park-and-ride bus service between Ascension Parish and Baton Rouge began Monday, January 30
Greyhound-style buses run between the Wal-Mart in Prairieville and downtown Baton Rouge throughout the day, Monday through Friday.
The service, designated as CATS route 70, provides 21 trips per day in each direction. Early-morning and late-afternoon rush hour service is as frequent as every 25 minutes, with midday service once an hour. The first departure from Prairieville is at 5:05 a.m. and the last trip from Baton Rouge is at 7:30 p.m.
The route within Baton Rouge covers a wide swath of downtown as well as the CATS transit terminal at Florida and 22nd. Riders may transfer to CATS buses to continue to other parts of Baton Rouge. However, unlike the free park-and-ride service, CATS buses within Baton Rouge will charge the regular fare of $1.75, with some discounts available.
The service is being provided by the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority in cooperation with CATS, and is being funded by FEMA.
For more information, call the CATS Info Line at 225-389-8282 or visit www.BRcats.com.