List of COTA routes and services

Last updated

List of COTA routes and services
Interactive map of COTA bus routes
Note: not all frequent lines remain frequent throughout their entire routes; see the official map for details.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) operates 41 fixed-route bus services throughout the Columbus metropolitan area in Central Ohio. The agency operates its standard and frequent bus services seven days per week, and rush hour service Monday to Friday. [1] All buses and routes are wheelchair and mobility device-accessible, and include front-mounted bike racks. [2]

Contents

The authority also operates multiple transit services, including the microtransit service COTA//PLUS and the on-demand COTA Mainstream service.

List of routes

Line typeDaysMinimum service frequencyNo. of routes
Standard lineMon–SunEvery 15–30 minutes17
Frequent lineMon–SunEvery 15 minutes or better10
Rush hour line (express)Mon–FriVaries, rush hour times only14
Source: [1]

Routes 1–12: through downtown

Routes 1 through 12 traverse Downtown Columbus. [3] These routes are classified as local lines. [4]

No. and designationFrequencyDestinationsAreaRef.
1Kenny/LivingstonFrequentNB/WBTo Pickforde Dr & Bethel RdSB/EBTo Reynoldsburg Park & Ride [5]
2 E Main/N HighFrequentNB/WBTo N High St & Fenway RdSB/EBTo Hanson St & E Main St [6] [7]
3Northwest/HarrisburgStandardNBTo Tremont Rd & Langham RdSBTo Parkway Centre [8]
4Indianola/LockbourneStandardNBTo Boardwalk St & Shapter AveSBTo Thimbleberry Rd & Alum Creek Dr [9]
5W 5th Ave/RefugeeFrequentNB/WBTo Renner Rd Park & Ride /
Lincoln Village
SB/EBTo Gender Road Towne Centre [10]
6SullivantStandardNB/EBTo Spring Street TerminalSB/WBTo Lincoln Village [11]
7Mt VernonFrequentNB/EBTo Int'l Gateway & Sawyer Rd /
Easton Transit Center
SB/WBTo E Mound St & S 4th St [12]
8Karl/S High/ParsonsFrequentNBTo Boardwalk St & Shapter AveSBTo Great Southern Park & Ride [13]
9W Mound/BrentnellStandardNB/EBTo Easton Transit CenterSB/WBTo Westwoods Park & Ride [14] [7]
10 E Broad/W BroadFrequentWBTo Westwoods Park & RideEBTo Limited Brands [15]
11Bryden/MaizeStandardNB/WBTo N High St & Fenway RdSB/EBTo Frebis Ave & Alum Creek Dr [16]
12McKinley/FieldsStandardWBTo McKinley Ave GarageEBTo Fields Ave Garage [17]

Routes 21–25: north–south

Routes 21 through 25 are laid out to connect destinations north and south. [3] These routes are classified as crosstown lines. [4]

No. and designationFrequencyDestinationsAreaRef.
21Hilliard RomeStandardNBTo Pickforde Dr & Bethel RdSBTo Lincoln Village [18]
22OSU/RickenbackerStandardNB/WBTo Grandview YardSB/EBTo London-Groveport & Alum Creek Dr [19]
23James/StelzerFrequentNBTo Easton Transit CenterSBTo Eastland Mall [20]
24Hamilton RdStandardNBTo Easton Transit CenterSBTo Eastland Mall [21] [22]
25BriceStandardNBTo Easton Transit CenterSBTo Canal Winchester Park & Ride [23]

Routes 31–35: west–east

Routes 31 through 35 are laid out to connect destinations east and west. [3] These routes are classified as crosstown lines. [4]

No. and designationFrequencyDestinationsAreaRef.
31HudsonStandardWB/SBTo Grandview YardEB/NBTo Easton Transit Center [24]
32N BroadwayStandardWBTo Heritage Club Dr & Main StEBTo Easton Transit Center [25]
33HendersonStandardWBTo 565 Metro PlaceEBTo N High St & W Kanawha Ave [26] [22]
34MorseFrequentWBTo N High St & Fenway RdEBTo Easton Transit Center [27]
35Dublin-GranvilleStandardWBTo Boardwalk St & Shapter AveSBTo Easton Transit Center [28]

Routes 41–52: east Columbus

Routes 41 through 52 operate on the city's east side; 41 through 46 serve northeast Columbus, while 51 and 52 serve southeast Columbus. [3] These routes are classified as rush hour (express) lines. [4]

No. and designationFrequencyDestinationsAreaRef.
41Crosswoods/PolarisRush hourNBTo Crosswoods Park & RideSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [29] [30]
42Sharon WoodsRush hourNBTo Sharon Woods & Skywae DrSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [31] [30]
43WestervilleRush hourNBTo Westerville Park & RideSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [32] [30]
44EastonRush hourNB/EBTo Easton Transit CenterSB/WBTo COTA Transit Terminal [33] [30]
45New AlbanyRush hourNB/EBTo New Albany Park & RideSB/WBTo COTA Transit Terminal [34] [30]
46GahannaRush hourNB/EBTo Gahanna Park & RideSB/WBTo COTA Transit Terminal [35] [30]
51ReynoldsburgRush hourWBTo Spring Street TerminalEBTo Reynoldburg Park & Ride [36] [30]
52Canal WinchesterRush hourNB/WBTo Spring Street TerminalSB/EBTo Canal Winchester Park & Ride [37] [30]

Routes 61–75: west Columbus

Routes 61 through 75 operate on the city's west side; route 61 serves southwest Columbus, while routes 71 through 75 serve northwest Columbus. [3] These routes are classified as rush hour (express) lines. [4]

No. and designationFrequencyDestinationsAreaRef.
61Grove CityRush hourNBTo Spring Street TerminalSBTo Grove City Park & Ride [38] [30]
71HilliardRush hourNB/WBTo Hilliard Park & RideSB/EBTo COTA Transit Terminal [39] [30]
72TuttleRush hourNBTo 5139 Park Center AveSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [40] [30]
73DublinRush hourNBTo Dublin Park & RideSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [41] [30]
74Smoky RowRush hourNBTo Sawmill Rd & Hard RdSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [42] [30]
75Arlington/1st AveRush hourNBTo Nottingham & Riverside DrSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [43] [30]

Other routes

DesignationService typeFrequencyDestinationsAreaRef.
CMAX BRT lineFrequentNBTo Polaris Pkwy & Africa RdSBTo E Mound St & S 4th St [44]
102 Polaris Pkwy/N High Limited-stop StandardNBTo Meijer & Polaris WoodsSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [45]
Night Owl Late-night StandardNBTo N High St & Blenheim RdSBTo W Broad St & N High St [46] [47]
COTA AirConnect Airport bus StandardNBTo CMH AirportSBTo COTA Transit Terminal [48] [49]
Other fixed-route services: SmartRide New Albany Blue, Red, Green shuttles; [50] GREAT Blue, Red, Green shuttles [51]

Services

The Central Ohio Transit Authority operates multiple services without fixed routes.

COTA Plus, stylized as COTA//PLUS, is a microtransit service in Grove City and northeast Franklin County. The service enables people to use a mobile app or call COTA's customer service to arrange a trip within service zones created for Grove City and northeast Franklin County. Fares are different from fixed-route COTA services, with single fares at $3, day passes at $6, and weekly passes at $20. C-Pass holders, university students, children, and those with discount IDs receive free or reduced fares relative to their eligibility for other COTA services. [52] The service was first launched in Grove City in July 2019, and expanded with a three-month pilot to the northeast portion of Columbus and Franklin County in May 2020, following service reductions due to the 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic.

COTA Mainstream is an on-demand shared-ride program for riders with disabilities. [53]

Seasonal or event-based services include the summertime "Zoo Bus" to the Columbus Zoo, [54] the "Bus it to the Buckeyes" service for Ohio State University football games at the Ohio Stadium, and the "Zoom to Boom" service to the city's July 4 fireworks show Red, White & Boom. [53]

History

In 1993, COTA began its first "COTA LINK" circulator route, operating in Downtown Columbus. The agency began other circulators, including Easton, Broad Street, and Westerville services around 2000. These services were cut around 2004. [55]

COTA began operating the CBUS service, a free downtown circulator, on May 5, 2014. [56] The route succeeded the downtown COTA LINK service. In May 2016, COTA began its AirConnect service between downtown and John Glenn Columbus International Airport, available with the $2.75 rush hour service fare. Previously, the agency offered a similar service with a $5 fare from 2001 to 2003, cut due to low ridership. [57] On May 1, 2017, the agency overhauled its bus network, the first redesign since COTA's establishment in 1971. The effort simplified routes, increased bus frequency, connected more locations, and reduced bus congestion in downtown Columbus. The redesign doubled the agency's number of frequent lines and significantly increased weekend service. [58] [59]

COTA began its CMAX service, the first bus rapid transit service in Columbus, on January 1, 2018. [60] In 2019, COTA ended its OSUAir service that connected Ohio State University directly with the Columbus airport, citing low ridership amid other bus route options. [61] [58]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of the agency's services were suspended. This included all express services, AirConnect, CBUS, and the Night Owl service. COTA restored the express lines in May 2021, reinstating 90 percent of the agency's former services. [30] [62]

References

  1. 1 2 "Our Fares". Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  2. "Frequently Asked Questions". Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cota System Map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 24, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Long Range Transit Plan" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. 2016. p. 44. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  5. "1 Kenny/Livingston" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  6. "2 E Main/N High" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  7. 1 2 "UPDATED: COTA to Increase Frequency on 3 Lines, NightOwl to Stay". Columbus Underground. February 4, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  8. "3 Northwest/Harrisburg" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  9. "4 Indianola/Lockbourne" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  10. "5 W 5th Ave/Refugee" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  11. "6 Cleveland/Sullivant" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  12. "7 Mt Vernon" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  13. "8 Karl/S High/Parsons" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  14. "9 W Mound/Brentnell" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  15. "10 E Broad/W Broad" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  16. "11 Bryden/Maize" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  17. "12 McKinley/Fields" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  18. "21 Hilliard Rome" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  19. "22 OSU/Rickenbacker" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  20. "23 James-Stelzer" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  21. "24 Hamilton Rd" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  22. 1 2 "COTA to realign bus routes". Columbus Messenger. April 20, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  23. "25 Brice" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  24. "31 Hudson" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  25. "32 N Broadway" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  26. "33 Henderson" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  27. "34 Morse" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  28. "35 Dublin-Granville" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  29. "41 Crosswoods/Polaris" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Ferenchik, Mark (April 14, 2021). "OH: COTA to restore 90% of pre-pandemic service on May 3, including all express lines". The Columbus Dispatch.
  31. "42 Sharon Woods" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  32. "43 Westerville" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  33. "44 Easton" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  34. "45 New Albany" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  35. "46 Gahanna" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  36. "51 Reynoldsburg" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  37. "52 Canal Winchester" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  38. "61 Grove City" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  39. "71 Hilliard" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  40. "72 Tuttle" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  41. "73 Dublin" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  42. "74 Smoky Row" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  43. "75 Arlington/1st Ave" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  44. "CMAX" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  45. "102 Polaris Pkwy/N High" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  46. "Night Owl" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  47. Ferenchik, Mark (February 5, 2020). "COTA keeping Night Owl bus service". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  48. "COTA AirConnect" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  49. "COTA no longer provides direct service to airport". The Lantern. November 26, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  50. "SmartRide New Albany" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  51. "GREAT: Groveport Rickenbacker Employee Access Transit" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  52. "COTA Plus – COTA".
  53. 1 2 "2019 Annual Report". Central Ohio Transit Authority. 2019. Archived from the original on March 23, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  54. "Zoo Bus". Central Ohio Transit Authority. Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  55. "BUSES, CAR POOLS SEE SURGE - Record-high gas prices likely caused sudden rise in ridership, official says". The Columbus Dispatch. May 15, 2004.
  56. Warren, Brett (May 5, 2014). "Free CBUS Downtown Circulator Launches". Columbus Underground. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  57. Ferenchik, Mark (May 31, 2018). "AirConnect ridership low, but COTA officials confident it will increase". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  58. 1 2 "Transit System Redesign". Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  59. Schmitt, Angie (August 14, 2018). "The Columbus Bus Network Redesign Boosted Ridership". Streetsblog USA. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  60. "New COTA bus line promises faster service across town". WBNS-10TV. January 1, 2018. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  61. Weyrich, Lydia (November 25, 2019). "COTA No Longer Provides Direct Service to Airport". The Lantern. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  62. "COTA Restores Express Routes For Commuters". WOSU News. May 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.