Capital Area Transportation Authority - Lansing, Michigan

Catherine H

Being from this area I was thrilled when I was offered a position working for CATA front desk. However, immediately upon starting there were innumerable red flags, and now I wouldn't wish a position at this organization on anyone but my worst enemy. The "Customer Experience" leadership team has extreme trust issues within their small group, and have an expectation for their employees to ONLY ask one leadership member a question, this is due to their inconsistent approaches to problem solving, and therefore different answers depending on who you would ask. They claim to have specified responsibilities, but then would not allow the person with those responsibilities to handle them, or that person would simply ignore their responsibility.

This management team is some of the worst i've seen in my years of employment. They would publicly AND publicly shame and gaslight their employees, speak to their employees with absolutely distain or choose to completely ignore them. The "Customer Experience Manager" specifically, would expect their employees to be kind when answering the phone (a fair expectation) while not having the same standard for themselves.

This organization is making efforts to move forward into the 21st century with modern tools, while they continue to be run by people of the last generation. The people in charge of these departments are actively awaiting retirement, and therefore have absolutely no consideration of the people around them who are starting careers. I was told this would be a permanent position, and my managers knew I saw this as a long term career.

In the end, I was fired through my personal email while I was on the clock and my manager was in the building. The reason I was given initially was scheduling conflicts (due to my having not requested time off for days when my primary working location was not open), but then I was told it was due to CATA being fully staffed and I was no longer needed. Then to find out the truth was the temp agency I was hired through was costing too much, and instead of being hired permanently (as I was told upon hire) I was fired in an incredibly unprofessional way.

They were "kind" enough to allow 2 weeks to find a new position before the end of my contract, in those 2 weeks I never once spoke to or saw the manager who fired me, and the other managers claimed to be unaware this was occurring. I submitted an application for this position as I was instructed after a meeting with the Human Resources director. This was a month ago and I still have not even had the consideration of a phone call or email.

Every other department in this organization is aware of how the customer experience team is treated by their leadership, but somehow this has continued to be a problem for at least 6 years. So many people at this organization are great people, but they are complacent in this mistreatment and unprofessionalism. CATA is a great organization to work at for someone who is willing to be pushed around, have no work life balance, and constantly be walking on eggshells around their managers. I'm so incredibly disappointed as a former employee, but even more so as a member of this community.

paul lafay

Buses are never ever on time there always 5 to 10 minutes late. The drivers are rude and hate there jobs. The buses always make you miss the next connection then your. Sitting at the cata station for an hour. cata has gone down way down over the years. Security will try to kick you out for anything.

Cathy Rodriguez

Spectran has consistently been 20 to 45 minutes late. No combined rides from same place going same direction, even when asked. Picking up an autistic rider 45 minutes late in the dark is ridiculous. Esp when the other rider going same direction was picked up at 7PM

Kaitlin Mccarrick

customer service is always so rude when calling them. And the buses don’t even show up half the time & when they do show up there always late.

Mason Hamilton

Incompetence run by incompetence. Management/HR needs to be fired.

Julie Keeler

The ONLY reason this serveice gets an extra star from me is because of some very amazing drivers who've helped me and are just in general amazing people, Joe, Trace, Kim and a few others are the best, love them. The schedulers are very bland, none of them stick out as particularly amazing but there are a few who stand out as completely AWFUL! Kay and Tamika are rude, and couldn't care less about customer service, Tanika regularly hangs up on my father when he tries to make rides, and Kay just doesn't want to do her damn job!! The service itself runs okay, occasionally you'll be stuck on the van for well over an hour just for what should be a 6 minute ride, I understand there are others who need rides but anything over an hour ride just for a few mile distance isn't at all necessary. It's very unfortunate they're the best service around for helping disabled people get to/from work, without them I wouldn't be able to work, but it's no excuse to take advantage of the disabled and blame them for every mistake.

Milton Jones

Jasmine at this location suck so bad does have ppl skill . Can't understand basic language. She need a new job and a costumer service help

Ria

Occasionally you will have a good experience either with the driver, but generally the drivers and customer service are extremely rude and absolutely UNPROFESSIONAL. They show time and again that they, in no way, shape or form care about there clients. They will flat out LIE and say they came to pick you up, but actually never showed up. Essentially you have to end up shelling out a lot of money for TERRIBLE SERVICE. They should really be ashamed of themselves. They treat the disabled like trash, and continue to make a profit.