February 19, 20205 yr 36 minutes ago, Gnoraa said: I definitely feel like COTA has made great improvements in the time I've lived in Columbus (10 years). I look forward to seeing them continue this trend. Specifically, I'm excited for them to explore better bus options on West Broad, through Franklinton and into the Hilltop area all the way out to the casino and beyond. Incorporating a CMAX strategy and upgrades on that corridor I believe is a great step. They NEED to get the broad street corridor to a CMAX model or, better yet, TRUE BRT ASAP. It's easier to do now than when the corridor is packed full or traffic. Watching 'rush hour' on West Broad the last few days and seeing traffic is a non issue convinces me that the roads can use a healthy diet now and suffer little consequence for drivers. Then when the area is built up, they won't be able to him haw over blocking traffic with a well established BRT already in place.
February 19, 20205 yr COTA ridership hits highest level in more than 30 years COTA's ridership grew to 19.1 million last year, boosted by free downtown passes and the Cmax bus rapid transit route along Cleveland Avenue. That's the highest it's been since 1988. The number of trips was a 1.2% increase from 18.9 million in 2018, and 4% higher since the systemwide redesign in 2017, the Central Ohio Transit Authority said in a news release. Nationally transit use is declining – Central Ohio was one of only six markets that had increases in 2018. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/02/19/cota-ridership-hits-highest-level-in-more-than30.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 20, 20205 yr ^^^ This is amazing news. I seriously hope they can keep this momentum going. Hell, even accelerate it. Ideas: More (and proper) BRT along identified transit corridors Work with the city to remove the parking meters completely from the bus lane downtown on High St. (seriously....the buses have to swerve out into traffic sometimes for 2-3 parking spots)!!! Expand eligible zones for CPass and court more employers Spoiler Make all of COTA free Edited February 20, 20205 yr by Zyrokai
February 21, 20205 yr COTA's AirConnect is now rocking at least one CNG bus complete with the red paint job:
March 19, 20205 yr Because of the coronavirus threat and a steep decline in ridership, the Central Ohio Transit Authority has made several service changes that begin Thursday: https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20200318/coronavirus-cota-makes-changes-to-some-routes-due-to-reduced-ridership
March 19, 20205 yr COTA Now Free, Passengers to Board at Rear Door The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) held an emergency meeting of its Board of Trustees this morning to vote on several actions it is taking in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The board approved the suspension of fares for all customers, effective immediately. The fares “will remain suspended during the coronavirus outbreak,” according to a COTA spokesperson. Also approved was a new policy asking riders to board the bus through the rear doors to “encourage social distancing for our customers and our operators.” Customers in wheelchairs or others who need to use the ramp at the front of the bus to board will still be able to do so. MORE: https://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-now-free-passengers-to-board-at-rear-door-bw1
June 25, 20204 yr COTA expanding on-demand rides to more suburbs, explores loading fares on state food benefit cards The coronavirus pandemic is changing how and where people work, and COTA says it needs to follow – while helping reduce inequities for its low-income passengers. As the Central Ohio Transit Authority restores services after suspending several routes because of falling demand and funding, don't expect every route to come back on the same paths and schedules, CEO Joanna Pinkerton told trustees Wednesday. “We know our community will move differently,” Pinkerton said. “We will need to adapt as things adapt and evolve.” Service changes through summer and fall will respond to the needs of workers to get to areas where jobs are concentrated, she said. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/06/24/cota-expanding-on-demand-rides.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 29, 20204 yr COTA: Free Fares to End This Summer, Shift to Cashless Payment Planned The free fare policy that was implemented this spring by the Central Ohio Transit Authority in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will likely come to an end this summer, although exactly how the transition back to full fares will work is not yet clear. One thing that is known is that cash payment will not be returning – when fare collection resumes, riders will need to pay either via COTA’s mobile app, or on cards that can be loaded with funds and then used to pay the fare by tapping on the fare box (both options were rolled out last fall as part of the COTA Connector program). Also under consideration by the transit agency is a plan to offer discounted fares to low-income riders. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/free-fares-to-end-this-summer-cota-says-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 30, 20204 yr ^The cashless program would seem to negatively impact poorer people, wouldn't it? Not everyone has a smart phone, crazy as that sounds. So if you don't have a smartphone or don't have a credit card (not everyone has a credit or even debit card) to load funds onto the smartphone app...you have to pre-plan your trips with cards loaded with funds. And if you're an out of town visitor you either have to download a new app and load funds or go to a location that sells one of these pre-loaded cards instead of just paying with cash/change. Very Stable Genius
June 30, 20204 yr Columbus renews free bus pass program for downtown workers Downtown workers will continue their free COTA rides under an agreement Columbus City Council approved Monday, along with the next step in developing an all-in-one trip planning and payment app. The C-pass for most downtown workers and some residents has been extended five years, because more than 60% of property owners in the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District voted to approve a collective $696,000 special assessment yearly. The assessment, along with buy-in from other nearby employers including Franklin County and participating residential property owners, pays for bulk purchase of bus passes from Central Ohio Transit Authority. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2020/06/30/columbus-renewing-downtown-c-pass.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 11, 20204 yr COTA Update: Free Fares Continue, C-Pass Extended and More Nov. 10, 2020 - Brent Warren "After another round of service changes in September, COTA has now restored service to 78% of its pre-COVID routes, according to a presentation given during a virtual public meeting earlier this fall. Many lines are now running more frequently than they were over the summer, and the hours of service have been extended. ... the COTA Board of Trustees also voted to extend through 2025 the C-Pass program, which provides free rides for some Downtown workers." https://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-update-free-fares-continue-c-pass-extended-and-more-bw1
December 8, 20204 yr COTA Sets Date for Return to Fare Collection The Central Ohio Transit Authority will resume collecting fares on its buses on January 11. Bus rides have been free since March 19, when the agency’s Board of Trustees voted to suspend fare collection and to require passengers to board the bus at the side door instead of the front. Riders can buy new a pass, replace an expired pass, or load money onto the COTA Connector app starting on December 12. Fares will remain the same as they were before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – $2 for a single ride and $62 for a monthly pass. “We took this unique, but important step to temporarily offer our transit services at no fare to the community at a time when there was no uniform guidance on how to properly protect employees and customers,” said COTA President/CEO Joanna M. Pinkerton in statement. “This allowed us to have customers board from the rear of the vehicle while we took time and care to implement new state-of-the art sanitization protocol and protective equipment, and educate the community on the role they can play in wearing proper protective face coverings.” More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-sets-date-for-return-to-fare-collection-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 29, 20204 yr "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
May 10, 20214 yr COTA Brings Express Lines Back, but Riders Still Waiting for Late Night Service Brent Warren - Columbus Underground - May 10, 2021 "The return of COTA’s limited-service, rush-hour-focused lines is a sign that some level of demand is returning for buses that take commuters from the suburbs to Downtown, but other elements of COTA’s daily bus schedule have still not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Riders will likely have to wait until September, for example, for the return of late night service." The following express lines were returned to service: 13 (Arlington/First Ave) 41 (Crosswoods/Polaris) 42 (Sharon Woods) 43 (Westerville 44 (Easton) 45 (New Albany) 46 (Gahanna) 51 (Reynoldsburg) 52 (Canal Winchester) 61 (Grove City) 71 (Hilliard) 72 (Tuttle) 73 (Dublin) 74 (Smoky Row)
July 21, 20213 yr COTA to buy Downtown Greyhound station for $9.5 million for redevelopment, transit center https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/07/21/cota-buy-greyhound-station-redevelopment-transit-center/8038610002/ The Central Ohio Transit Authority is planning to spend $9.5 million to buy the Greyhound bus terminal in Columbus so it can demolish it to make way for a multi-use redevelopment that will include a central COTA bus center. Greyhound bus service will move to COTA's terminal in the Columbus Commons parking garage between East Rich and Main streets, likely by fall. The COTA board is scheduled to vote on the purchase at its July 28 meeting. The property is already under contract, said Terry Foegler, COTA's chief development officer. City leaders believe the 2.45-acre site where the Greyhound station sits at 111 E. Town St. in the heart of Downtown is better suited to another, better use, although that hasn't been determined yet.
July 21, 20213 yr Overall, THAT's great news! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 30, 20213 yr I was recently in Columbus and went to the COTA transit center on Capitol Square. The sign said day passes were an option, but it was nowhere to be found on the machines. Ended up going inside to ask the employee and she thought you could buy one on the machine...but after fooling around with the machine, concluded as we did that it was not possible. She even asked a bus driver if she knew how to buy one. She suggested going to another machine up north on High St and that machine did indeed have the option. Seemed weird the main transit center had this glitch, and had signs that clearly stated you could buy one. Ohio Public transit is so ass-backward. GCRTA is just as bad, if not worse for tourists that don't know the system.
August 2, 20213 yr On 7/30/2021 at 7:46 PM, metrocity said: was recently in Columbus and went to the COTA transit center on Capitol Square. The sign said day passes were an option, but it was nowhere to be found on the machines. Ended up going inside to ask the employee and she thought you could buy one on the machine...but after fooling around with the machine, concluded as we did that it was not possible. She even asked a bus driver if she knew how to buy one. She suggested going to another machine up north on High St and that machine did indeed have the option. Seemed weird the main transit center had this glitch, and had signs that clearly stated you could buy one. Ohio Public transit is so ass-backward. GCRTA is just as bad, if not worse for tourists that don't know the system. FWIW, I never had trouble buying an all day passes upon boarding a bus in the past. COTA only has something like 6 locations with ticket vending machines in the entire system, 3 downtown at Spring, South and HQ. I believe all machines (aside from HQ) are card only as well. It isn't a prominent feature of the transit network with nearly all physical (single trip/day pass) tickets being bought upon boarding. I wouldn't be surprised if Giant Eagle sells more tickets then the machines do. So I can see how COTA doesn't put many resources into having/maintaining higher quality machines. The good news is that I would expect this to change with the upcoming LinkUS project. Although I'm not sure if off board fare collection (via ticket vending machines) has been specifically outlined in the preliminary planning process yet, it sure seems like it will be included based on the quality of BRT discussed so far. When/if this happens, I would expect an overhaul of, or likely a completely new ticket vending machine system.
August 6, 20213 yr At the end of this article - https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/07/28/greyhound-station-demolished-make-way-cota-development/8091987002/ It mentions AirConnect, NightOwl and CBus downtown circulator are not coming back :( Edited August 6, 20213 yr by futureman
August 6, 20213 yr 9 minutes ago, futureman said: At the end of this article - https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/07/28/greyhound-station-demolished-make-way-cota-development/8091987002/ It mentions AirConnect, NightOwl and CBus downtown circulator are not coming back :( The loss of the NightOwl and Cbus are really big losses. At a time when bars, restaurants, and tourism in general are fighting their way back to normal, it's disappointing to see them pull a transit options that were pretty efficient at getting people to those places. The AriConnect I am more unsure of, it was a good service but it was sooo underutilized and most never new it existed, it need rethought a bit maybe.
August 8, 20213 yr On 8/2/2021 at 4:36 PM, NorthShore647 said: FWIW, I never had trouble buying an all day passes upon boarding a bus in the past. The thought of boarding a bus with no bus pass to pay for the ride and asking to buy a pass at that point never even crossed my mind. Sounds very cumbersome and slow for the bus and isn't normal as far as I know from using other systems. I'd think the people boarding behind me would be pissed and annoyed. Neither COTA employee mentioned that option either. My friend and I don't live in Columbus, we were just visiting.
August 20, 20213 yr COTA to Implement New Fare System This Fall The Central Ohio Transit Authority plans to implement a new fare management system this fall that it says will help save low-income riders money. The new system will allow for fare capping, meaning that it will track how many rides are taken by an individual in a month, for example, and stop charging for new rides once the price of an unlimited monthly pass ($62) is reached. The cap also applies to the cost for daily and weekly passes – so you couldn’t pay more than $4.50 to ride the bus on any given day, no matter how many trips you took (or more than $25 over any seven-day period). More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-to-implement-new-fare-system-this-fall-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 2, 20213 yr COTA Not Bringing Back CBUS – or Late Night Service – Any Time Soon Last spring, several express lines starting running again for the first time since the Central Ohio Transit Authority was forced to start cutting back bus service at the beginning of the pandemic. At the time, COTA officials expressed hope that the restoration of late night service would be the next improvement to be implemented, and suggested that buses would start running a later schedule starting in September. A shortage of drivers, though, has pushed that timeline back – late night service was not a part of the agency’s September service updates, and likely won’t be brought back until next spring at the earliest. Also not included in the September changes was the restoration of the CBUS Circulator route, which offered no-fare trips for riders traveling between the Short North, Downtown and the Brewery District. “COTA does not have any plans at this time to bring CBUS back,” said Jeff Pullin, Public & Media Relations Manager. “COTA continues to focus on the C-Pass program, which is a property owner and business-sponsored program and provides greater benefits for customers, namely unlimited transit on all lines at no cost to them.” More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-not-bringing-back-cbus-or-late-night-service-any-time-soon-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 6, 20213 yr On 9/1/2021 at 11:52 PM, ColDayMan said: COTA Not Bringing Back CBUS – or Late Night Service – Any Time Soon Last spring, several express lines starting running again for the first time since the Central Ohio Transit Authority was forced to start cutting back bus service at the beginning of the pandemic. At the time, COTA officials expressed hope that the restoration of late night service would be the next improvement to be implemented, and suggested that buses would start running a later schedule starting in September. A shortage of drivers, though, has pushed that timeline back – late night service was not a part of the agency’s September service updates, and likely won’t be brought back until next spring at the earliest. Also not included in the September changes was the restoration of the CBUS Circulator route, which offered no-fare trips for riders traveling between the Short North, Downtown and the Brewery District. “COTA does not have any plans at this time to bring CBUS back,” said Jeff Pullin, Public & Media Relations Manager. “COTA continues to focus on the C-Pass program, which is a property owner and business-sponsored program and provides greater benefits for customers, namely unlimited transit on all lines at no cost to them.” More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-not-bringing-back-cbus-or-late-night-service-any-time-soon-bw1/ ^ A Dispatch article about COTA's efforts to hire additional drivers to replace drivers that left during the covid pandemic: COTA aiming to hire 50 drivers by next spring after losing more than 60 drivers "The Central Ohio Transit Authority is working to hire about 50 more drivers by spring after losing close to 10% of its operators since the pandemic took hold in early 2020. Before the COVID-19 pandemic upended everything in March 2020, COTA had about 700 drivers. Today it has 637, COTA spokesman Jeff Pullin said." "The system wants to bring the number of operators back to the 685-700 range. "Our plan is to build back our workforce, make our service more reliable," Pullin said. COTA did not lay off drivers during the pandemic, but did not hire either. ... "It's the turnover tsunami," said Sindy Mondesir, COTA's chief people officer. Mondesir said it takes time to hire drivers, usually a four-to-six-week process, followed by nine weeks of training." "Josh Lapp, chairman of Transit Columbus, a local advocacy group, said the driver shortage has affected service. "The effects of this reduction in personnel level have been noticed and commented on by riders. I’ve seen it online, I’ve heard it at the bus stop. Folks are clamoring for more and better service," Lapp said."
October 6, 20213 yr COTA’s First Electric Buses to Start Running Next Week The Central Ohio Transit Authority has added two electric buses to its fleet and will buy another eight to be delivered next summer. The first two will start running on Monday, October 11. “Our ambitious and achievable goals are for COTA to be diesel-free by 2025 with net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and these electric transit vehicles are the latest step we are taking to make this a reality,” said COTA President/CEO Joanna Pinkerton in a statement. The agency still has 79 diesel buses in its 321-vehicle fleet, and plans to buy 28 more compressed natural gas buses per year through 2025 in order to phase those out. Future purchases of electric buses have not been scheduled, but COTA plans to “continue to study the feasibility” of adding more of the vehicles to its fleet, according to a press release. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/cotas-first-electric-buses-to-start-running-next-week-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 23, 20213 yr COTA’s New Fare-Capping Structure Has Launched Last month, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) approved a new fare structure. Now, that new structure has officially launched. The goal of the new structure is to reduce barriers to transit access through fare affordability throughout the city. The new structure either reduces or maintains transit fares for all customers by introducing: Fare capping – ensures customers pay no more than $4.50 a day or $62 per month when they use the new fare management system launching later this fall Flat fare rate – eliminates the 75-cent upcharge on rush hour lines and makes the standard fare $2 on all lines Simplified Transfers – allows for two-hour accessibility for any fare paid in place of the one-way restriction Simplified children discounts – eliminates height specifications for children and allows children under 5 to board at no cost and children between ages 5 and 12 to board for $1. MORE: https://www.columbusnavigator.com/cotas-new-fair-capping-structure-has-launched/
October 29, 20213 yr New Bus Fare Payment System Starts Monday Monday, November 1 marks the official launch of a new digital payment system for all buses operated by the Central Ohio Transit Authority. Since October 17, riders have been able to set up accounts and start using a smart card or the Transit app on their phones to board the bus. Starting Monday, though, COTA will be holding a series of pop-up events to publicize the new system, and will have ambassadors at stations and on buses, helping to explain how it works. The new system will allow for fare capping, meaning that it will track how many rides are taken by an individual in a month, for example, and stop charging for new rides once the price of an unlimited monthly pass ($62) is reached. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/new-bus-fare-payment-system-starts-monday-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 13, 20213 yr On 10/28/2021 at 10:16 PM, ColDayMan said: New Bus Fare Payment System Starts Monday Monday, November 1 marks the official launch of a new digital payment system for all buses operated by the Central Ohio Transit Authority. Since October 17, riders have been able to set up accounts and start using a smart card or the Transit app on their phones to board the bus. Starting Monday, though, COTA will be holding a series of pop-up events to publicize the new system, and will have ambassadors at stations and on buses, helping to explain how it works. The new system will allow for fare capping, meaning that it will track how many rides are taken by an individual in a month, for example, and stop charging for new rides once the price of an unlimited monthly pass ($62) is reached. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/new-bus-fare-payment-system-starts-monday-bw1/ This is an amazing system and idea! Wow $62 for a monthly pass is extremely cheap but that is a great idea to not charge after the $62 limit has been reached. Very admirable.
February 14, 20223 yr COTA plans Rickenbacker mobility hub Construction could start soon on a transportation hub for those who live and work around Rickenbacker International Airport. The Central Ohio Transit Authority plans to build a transportation center where buses, cars, bike, scooters and more could come together for more efficient commutes. The Rickenbacker Mobility Center will be a state-of-the-art, comprehensive facility, said Aslyne Rodriguez, director of government affairs for COTA. "I think that's really important when we think about economic development and the prosperity of an individual, we think about how they function in the community so that they can go to work and be productive there," Rodriguez said. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/02/14/cota-morpc-funding.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 28, 20223 yr COTA to Offer Discounted Fares for Low-Income Riders A six-month pilot program to offer half-off fares for low-income bus riders begins on Tuesday, March 1. The Central Ohio Transit Authority announced the new program earlier this year, after the organization’s Board of Trustees approved the concept at its January meeting. The discount will be available for riders that can provide proof of participation in one of the following programs: SNAP food assistance Publicly-funded childcare Ohio Works First cash assistance Prevention, Retention and Contingency emergency assistance Medicaid Temporary Assistance to Needy Families More below: https://columbusunderground.com/cota-to-offer-discounted-fares-for-low-income-riders-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 12, 20223 yr Some news from the COTA front: The Cpass program will expand to the general public via a pilot program to offer the pass to those living, working, or visiting the Short North. AirConnect will return this month and will operate only for large convention traffic, most notably the American Public Transit Association Mobility Conference at the end of the month. Cbus isn't slated to come back due to continued funding and staffing issues. COTA might extend other fixed routes that overlap the Cbus route to midnight in the fall. https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2022/04/12/cota-offering-free-rides-short-north-residents-workers-visitors/7272837001/
April 17, 20223 yr On 4/15/2022 at 6:19 PM, amped91 said: It still sounds expensive, but, to be fair, their projected cost is $4.3B for the build out, operation, and maintenance of FIVE region-wide corridors over the course of 20+ years. Cincy’s rail is, like, one three mile long loop.
April 26, 20223 yr Pilot Program to Provide Free Bus Rides for Short North Workers, Others Short North workers can now take advantage of a new pilot program that will allow them to ride the bus for free. And starting in May, the program will expand to include residents and visitors to the neighborhood as well. The program, created by the Short North Alliance and the Central Ohio Transit Authority, is being funded with $50,000 generated from parking meters located within the Short North Parking Benefit District. To sign up, employees need to first register for a COTA account via the Transit App, then fill out a short form on COTA’s website. The site also has instructions for downloading the app, and directions for those without access to a smart phone (COTA offers ‘smartcards’). More below: https://columbusunderground.com/pilot-program-free-bus-rides-for-short-north-workers-others-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
April 27, 20223 yr 16 hours ago, ColDayMan said: The program, created by the Short North Alliance and the Central Ohio Transit Authority, is being funded with $50,000 generated from parking meters located within the Short North Parking Benefit District. I love me a good Pigouvian tax.
May 13, 20223 yr Looks like COTA might be taking over Licking County Transit. https://www.newarkadvocate.com/story/news/2022/05/13/licking-county-transit-eyes-takeover-cota-eliminates-board/9734841002/ This is almost certainly great news for those of us in Licking County. The previous system was on-demand only, and from what I've heard pretty much nobody is happy with it. I have no idea what the routing was like either, whether or not origins/destinations all had to be within Licking County which certain limits its utility. This is a great step forward to proper regional transit, and an acknowledgement of what will be happing with Intel coming to town and the growth (and new traffic patterns) that will almost certainly bring. If I could walk to a bus stop here in Granville I'd probably actually use the service. I'm sure plenty of Denison and OSU-N students will be cheering this possibility as well! Edited May 13, 20223 yr by mrCharlie
May 18, 20223 yr Interesting blurbout of the Plain Dealer about the states new transporting bill. The second part is most certainly geared toward the LinkUS initiative. This will allow COTA to use the levy for improvements to sidewalks, trails, bike lanes etc. What a bit of great behind the scenes news. Now, let's start seeing the campaign. COTA and the rest of central ohio governments and businesses are going to have to work hard to get the levy passed and focus on how much is involved. Much like the zoo, if conservative PACs get the upper hand on messaging that it is a huge bill for a special project (brt) then it could easily fail. The BRT is really the bonus with the levy and the overall comprehensive nature of the LinkUS plan cannot be stressed enough
May 19, 20223 yr 15 hours ago, DTCL11 said: Interesting blurbout of the Plain Dealer about the states new transporting bill. The second part is most certainly geared toward the LinkUS initiative. This will allow COTA to use the levy for improvements to sidewalks, trails, bike lanes etc. What a bit of great behind the scenes news. Now, let's start seeing the campaign. COTA and the rest of central ohio governments and businesses are going to have to work hard to get the levy passed and focus on how much is involved. Much like the zoo, if conservative PACs get the upper hand on messaging that it is a huge bill for a special project (brt) then it could easily fail. The BRT is really the bonus with the levy and the overall comprehensive nature of the LinkUS plan cannot be stressed enough Yeah, they will have to campaign hard for it. I know this is just anecdotal, but I’ve already seen so much negativity around the Internet over the proposed tax increase. Ultimately, I could see them delaying the ballot initiative too. CCS just announced they will put an initiative on the ballot this year, and the city plans the affordable housing fund measure too. All of it might be asking too much of the average voter, especially in an election year where Republicans will already be hitting cost/price issues hard.
May 19, 20223 yr I thought the same thing when CCS decided to add their bond issue to the ballot. The hardest part is deciding which issue to table. Tabling the COTA levy may impact federal funding as well. It would cost more money, but a comprehensive campaign would be a significant help. But in the traditional Columbus way, I can see them just sticking to a modest at best campaign spelling disaster.
May 19, 20223 yr 19 minutes ago, amped91 said: Yeah, they will have to campaign hard for it. I know this is just anecdotal, but I’ve already seen so much negativity around the Internet over the proposed tax increase. Ultimately, I could see them delaying the ballot initiative too. CCS just announced they will put an initiative on the ballot this year, and the city plans the affordable housing fund measure too. All of it might be asking too much of the average voter, especially in an election year where Republicans will already be hitting cost/price issues hard. This is about the worst time for anyone to be asking the average person to fork over more money in any way, shape, or form. They might be better off to delay bringing this to the voters until the inflation/economic issues begin to subside. I highly doubt it would pass this year, and returning to voters after failing to gain support the first time is incredibly difficult even if the economy is in a better place. Maybe delaying a year or two could give them a better chance of getting it passed on the first try.
May 19, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, cbussoccer said: This is about the worst time for anyone to be asking the average person to fork over more money in any way, shape, or form. They might be better off to delay bringing this to the voters until the inflation/economic issues begin to subside. I highly doubt it would pass this year, and returning to voters after failing to gain support the first time is incredibly difficult even if the economy is in a better place. Maybe delaying a year or two could give them a better chance of getting it passed on the first try. That was my thinking as well. Like @DTCL11said, there is a federal funding aspect to it as well. But, in public interviews, folks from LinkUS didn’t seem entirely committed to putting the issue on this year’s ballot, so I would imagine they have some time. I don’t want this delayed any longer, but I would rather see it delayed than risk overwhelming voters and having this, or more, ballot measures fail. (Just as an aside, the 0.5% sales tax increase would cost the average person very little—we’re talking less than $5 extra/mo—especially compared to how much the school levy would cost per landowner. So I don’t think it’s a huge ask, and I fully support it if it’s going to improve our public transit infrastructure. However, I’m not sure how many will actually see it that way, especially when we’re already spending so much more on nearly everything else right now.)
June 8, 20223 yr Transportation Roundup: COTA Service Cuts, Scooter-Free Parks and More The Central Ohio Transit Authority has not solved its driver shortage problem, and that could mean additional service cuts this fall. COTA officials outlined the potential cuts – including frequency reductions on 11 different lines, and temporarily discontinuing service on all rush hour lines – at two public meetings held in May. However, COTA spokesperson Jeff Pullin told Columbus Underground that rush hour service is no longer in danger of being cut. “This is now off the table,” he said. “In the upcoming meetings…we are recommending [the rush hour lines] continue unchanged at this time.” More below: https://columbusunderground.com/transportation-roundup-cota-service-cuts-scooter-free-parks-and-more-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 16, 20222 yr COTA board OKs $395.7 million capital budget including transit center near Rickenbacker “The Central Ohio Transit Authority's board of trustees on Monday adopted a five-year, $395.7 million capital budget, while extending the C-pass program in the Short North for free bus rides and making permanent a reduced-fare program for low-income riders. The capital budget for 2023-27 includes a new $19 million transit center at Groveport and London-Groveport (Ohio Route 317) roads near Rickenbacker International Airport. The COTA board previously approved the Rickenbacker Mobility Center project in its 2021 five-year capital plan. COTA officials also announced the transit agency received a $26.7-million federal grant to replace 28 diesel buses with electric buses by 2025. COTA may have no diesel buses after that, said Andy Biesterveld, COTA's chief engineering and mechanical officer.“ https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2022/08/16/cota-new-rickenbacker-transit-center-columbus-bus-capital-budget/
August 31, 20222 yr COTA to Cut Service Again in September; Makes Low-Income Discount Permanent The Central Ohio Transit Authority is still struggling to hire enough bus drivers to run its routes. As a result, service changes scheduled to go into effect on Monday, September 5 will include less-frequent buses on some routes and the elimination of Line 6 along Cleveland Avenue. Line 6 riders are being directed to the CMAX, which runs along the same portion of Cleveland Avenue but with fewer stops. COTA customers hoping for the return of late night service are also out of luck – the last buses will continue to leave downtown around 10 p.m. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/cota-to-cut-service-again-in-september-make-low-income-discount-permanent-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 7, 20222 yr COTA: Weekend Service Cuts Coming in 2023 It’s been a year of service cuts for the Central Ohio Transit Authority, and this week the agency is announcing another round of cuts to start out 2023. COTA makes changes to its routes and service schedules three times a year – in January, May and September – and 2022 has seen service reductions each time. The latest cuts will go into effect on Monday, January 2. They will mostly focus on weekend service, reducing how often buses run on several busy lines, including the 1, 2, 8 and 10. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/cota-weekend-service-cuts-coming-in-2023-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 15, 20232 yr Opinion: COTA Should be Free to Ride Fare-free transit is an idea growing in popularity around the United States, and with good reason: it comes with a whole host of benefits. Public transportation reduces CO2 emissions by up to 45% and cuts down on air pollution. Taking cars off of the road would allow real estate dedicated to parking to be redeveloped into housing or businesses — a priority, given that so many of them are already empty. It comes with real improvements to quality-of-life: reduced noise and more safety for pedestrians, a critical issue because traffic fatalities are on the rise in Franklin County. Getting rid of fares puts money back in people’s pockets, which disproportionately helps working-class riders. It would even make the job easier for transit operators. When Kansas City made transit free year-round, security incidents per rider decreased by 17% because many were previously caused by fare disputes. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/opinion-cota-should-be-free-to-ride/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 15, 20232 yr 7 hours ago, ColDayMan said: Opinion: COTA Should be Free to Ride Fare-free transit is an idea growing in popularity around the United States, and with good reason: it comes with a whole host of benefits. Public transportation reduces CO2 emissions by up to 45% and cuts down on air pollution. Taking cars off of the road would allow real estate dedicated to parking to be redeveloped into housing or businesses — a priority, given that so many of them are already empty. It comes with real improvements to quality-of-life: reduced noise and more safety for pedestrians, a critical issue because traffic fatalities are on the rise in Franklin County. Getting rid of fares puts money back in people’s pockets, which disproportionately helps working-class riders. It would even make the job easier for transit operators. When Kansas City made transit free year-round, security incidents per rider decreased by 17% because many were previously caused by fare disputes. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/opinion-cota-should-be-free-to-ride/ More like Fact-free, ha. The two arguments just in the quoted text are not actually supported by fare free transit. One must consider practical realities. Unless farebox recovery is extremely low, going fare free has to be funded from somewhere. And wherever that money comes from, spending it on increased frequency (instead of fare free) is proven to be a much better way to get people to switch from driving to transit, thus achieving the desired goals of the author. The second argument has a similar fallacy. You aren’t actually putting money in a working person’s pocket if they don’t get rid of their car because the transit system is subpar. However, if the additional transit funding was used to improve frequency, and then improve reach, a person is much more likely to be able to get rid of their car. Now they’re saving HUNDREDS of dollars per month, way more than they would save by not paying fares. The reason that none of the best transit systems in the world are fare free is because it’s bad policy. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 15, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, Boomerang_Brian said: More like Fact-free, ha. The two arguments just in the quoted text are not actually supported by fare free transit. One must consider practical realities. Unless farebox recovery is extremely low, going fare free has to be funded from somewhere. And wherever that money comes from, spending it on increased frequency (instead of fare free) is proven to be a much better way to get people to switch from driving to transit, thus achieving the desired goals of the author. The second argument has a similar fallacy. You aren’t actually putting money in a working person’s pocket if they don’t get rid of their car because the transit system is subpar. However, if the additional transit funding was used to improve frequency, and then improve reach, a person is much more likely to be able to get rid of their car. Now they’re saving HUNDREDS of dollars per month, way more than they would save by not paying fares. The reason that none of the best transit systems in the world are fare free is because it’s bad policy. Well said. I do think free fare "deals" could be used to encourage people to consider COTA as an option though. For example, COTA could work out a system where the purchase of a ticket to Crew/CBJ/Clippers/OSU football or basketball game could you get you a free COTA ride before and after the game. Obviously there a ton of details to work out and it might not even be possible, but it would certainly increase ridership and relieve parking and traffic constraints before and after games. It would also expose people to COTA as an option and hopefully convince them to take full fare rides in the future. I also think specific routes could be fare free, potentially on a rotational basis. The CBus was a great way to get non-COTA riders acquainted with public transportation as an option. It would be great if COTA could bring this option back and then maybe make other lines fare free on a rotational basis. So let's say the line that connects my house to my office is free for a month or two weeks or whatever. I might be convinced to give it a try one day, and I realize it's actually a good option and I continue using it even after the "free trial" is over. These ideas will obviously require strategic funding plans to continue to fund operations, but they would much more doable than making the entire system fare free and they would hopefully increase paid ridership which would increase revenues and allow COTA to improve and expand its service. Improved and expanded services is the best way to "get people on board", and free fares ultimately makes that initiative more difficult.
April 21, 20232 yr COTA Update: Ridership Slowly Improving, But More Service Cuts Planned The Central Ohio Transit Authority saw a slight uptick in ridership last year compared to the year before, and that trend continued through the first quarter of 2023. A new round of service cuts are set to go into effect on May 1, though, as the agency continues to struggle to build up its workforce. COTA makes changes to its routes and service schedules three times a year – in January, May and September – and in 2022 reduced service each time. This spring’s service cuts were actually initially announced last year and set to start in January, but those changes were delayed because of a December data breach. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/cota-ridership-slowly-improving-but-more-service-cuts-planned-bw1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
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