COTA revamping bus routes for the first time in 40 years

 

 

Downtown commuters should notice less congestion on High Street as the Central Ohio Transit Authority embarks on its first system redesign in four decades.

 

Bus routes “were designed to meet the needs of at least 40 years ago, if not 60 or 80 years ago, when everything was centrally focused downtown,” said COTA CEO Curtis Stitt.

 

More below:

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/04/11/cota-revamping-bus-routes-for-the-first-time-in-40.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/04/05/cota-going-free-for-a-week-as-it-debuts-redesigned.html

 

First week of service for Columbus' new high frequency grid is free!

COTA President and CEO Announces Retirement:

 

http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-president-and-ceo-announces-retirement-bw1

 

---

Curtis Stitt, President and CEO of the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) for the past five years, announced that he will retire on September 30th.  In the above linked article, he listed the following accomplishments under his tenure:

 

- CBUS circulator that runs thru the Downtown, Short North and Brewery District

- New AirConnect route to the John Glenn Columbus International Airport

- Partnership with Transit App for real-time route tracking and mapping

- New home-to-work routes to employment centers in New Albany and Rickenbacker

- The Smart City Challenge grant win in partnership with the City of Columbus

- Resounding 73-27 win last November on COTA's renewal of a ten-year operating levy

 

On May 1, the first major redesign of COTA’s bus network will go into effect, after many years of planning.  And in January 2018, the CMAX bus rapid transit route will begin running on Cleveland Avenue.

COTA is looking at a long-term plan on how to move people in Central Ohio through 2050 — a time when the Columbus metro population is projected to add 1 million people and 300,000 jobs.  The plan doesn’t specify what transportation systems will be used but laid out multiple options — conventional bus, high-speed bus (perhaps using dedicated road lanes), light rail or other options.

 

The long-term plan has an estimated $5.4 billion in capital costs plus $2.05 billion in increased operating costs through 2050 - although these numbers are preliminary and depend on the choices COTA makes.  The Dispatch has run a number of articles about this plan over the past two days:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170614/cotas-66-billion-future-driverless-vehicles-more-routes-faster-service

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170614/10-things-to-know-about-cotas-nextgen-overview-report

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170615/cost-of-cota-transportation-plan-grows-by-almost-1-billion

So its annual budget is $146m and its proposing $6.6 billion over ~33 years...which would be some $200m a year?  I realize there are present values to be considered and whatnot, but COTA essentially wants to double its budget and then some if I'm reading that correctly.

 

And actually, there's this update:

 

Thomas Wittmann, the consultant COTA hired for the project, said the actual cost is $7.45 billion.

 

This is uh....what?

 

More riders likely will have to get on and off public transportation at hubs similar to park-and-rides, where they can walk or bicycle the rest of the way or use Car2Go, Uber, Lyft or other transportation companies.

 

Why would someone take COTA to then take a shared service?  Unless you're coming from outside 270, it makes very little sense.  I would think the primary reason people use COTA is because it the service that can take you the farthest for the least amount of money (outside of biking/walking - which again, goes back to the distance thing).  If people then have to pay for an Uber/Lyft or Car2Go what's the point of COTA?

 

I wish the report would have had more of an emphasis on something like light rail, a street car, etc.  It continues to be rather embarrassing to be the largest city in the country with no passenger train service whatsoever.

COTA views van pool service as a smart choice for Columbus

By Kimball Perry, The Columbus Dispatch

Updated: July 4, 2017 at 6:19 AM

 

As COTA plans how to help more people get from place to place, it and other agencies are talking to alternative transportation companies, aiming to lure them to Columbus.  “We are looking at new mobility services to bring to the city to get people commuting without cars,” said Jordan Davis, the Columbus Partnership’s Smart Cities director.

 

Columbus beat out 77 other cities last year to win a U.S. Department of Transportation challenge to design the city of the future.  It has two parts: Smart Cities, the public half, has been awarded $50 million.  Columbus Partnership, a nonprofit of 60 area CEOs tasked with improving the Columbus area’s economic vitality, helps to attract other money and to plan how that future city will operate, especially its transportation.

 

With Columbus projected to have 1 million more people and 300,000 more jobs by 2050, the Central Ohio Transit Authority is considering its future.  A recent reassignment of bus routes, plus plans that COTA is considering for how to operate by 2050, indicate that it will concentrate on moving large numbers of people quickly through a dozen or so heavily traveled corridors to get many riders to hubs.

 

That probably means that COTA riders will need some alternative transportation in that first mile going to work and returning from work. ... This alternative transportation is seen as a complement to COTA, not competition.  That could mean picking riders up closer to their home or workplace and taking them to a COTA hub — or their final destination.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170704/cota-views-van-pool-service-as-smart-choice-for-columbus

^I'm becoming less and less inspired with each new release of details about the Smart City grant as well as COTA's NextGen plans.

COTA adopts $7.5 billion NextGen transportation plan through 2050:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170726/cota-adopts-75-billion-nextgen-transportation-plan-through-2050

^So basically, the city is putting all of its eggs in the autonomous vehicle baskets.  Doesn't seem too smart.

COTA Approves Transit Plan, Starts Search for New Leader

 

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) Board of Trustees accepted the final NextGen report at its meeting yesterday, approving a broad vision for the future of the region’s public transportation that includes recommendations for a series of “high capacity transit corridors.”

 

Exactly how that plan is implemented — and how strongly COTA pushes for options like light rail or a streetcar — will likely depend greatly on who is chosen to replace current President and CEO Curtis Stitt, who announced last spring that he will be retiring in September.

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-approves-transit-plan-starts-search-for-new-leader-bw1

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170802/program-approved-to-give-free-bus-passes-to-downtown-workers

 

Program approved to give free bus passes to Downtown workers

Another article on that...

 

Free Bus Passes for Downtown Workers Coming in 2018

 

The board of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District gave its stamp of approval yesterday to a plan to provide free bus passes for as many as 40,000 Downtown workers. The program has been in the planning stages for over two years, including a small pilot program that ran from June of 2015 to December of 2016 and served as a proof-of-concept for the idea.

 

Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of Capital Crossroads, said that the employee pass program will start on June 1, 2018. About half of the funding required for the program will come from an assessment paid by the Downtown property owners that are represented by Capital Crossroads. The other half will come from grants that are being secured by the organization.

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/free-bus-passes-for-downtown-workers-coming-in-2018

 

Free Bus Passes for Downtown Workers Coming in 2018

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/free-bus-passes-for-downtown-workers-coming-in-2018

 

I thought these two parts in the story were interesting:

 

"The passes would be available to workers in any commercial building within the Capital Crossroads boundaries.  The City of Columbus and Franklin County have also indicated a willingness to participate in the program — and the owner of any residential building could also choose to buy in."

 

"Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of Capital Crossroads, said that Capital Crossroads has already fielded inquiries about the program from officials in other cities interested in the idea, including Cleveland and Cincinnati."

COTA riders to have free Wi-Fi by end of August

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170804/cota-riders-to-have-free-wi-fi-by-end-of-august

Could free bus passes help ease downtown office vacancies and low-wage employee turnover?

 

If just 6 percent of downtown workers ditch their cars for a proposed free bus pass, commuting patterns indicate that could free enough parking spots to attract new employers who’d bring downtown offices near full occupancy.

 

Nearly two-thirds of downtown property owners voted in favor of paying 3 cents per square foot of retail and office space toward buying discounted bus passes in bulk for the estimated 43,000 private-sector employees in the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District starting in July 2018.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/08/09/could-free-bus-passes-help-ease-downtown-office.html

Some miscellaneous updates from COTA's September service changes presentation,

 

- A new website will be launching this fall with a much better, mobile-friendly layout that integrates real-time bus tracking info

- Free WiFi is now available on all buses and routes

- New fareboxes will be installed beginning this fall with installation complete by the end of the year. Smartphone payment will also be launched during this time period, with stand alone smartcards following next spring

- Fares will likely be adjusted up beginning Jan 1, after the new fare payment systems are in place. This was scheduled to have occurred 1 or 2 years ago but was postponed by the COTA board until more convenient ways to pay had been implemented

 

https://www.slideshare.net/COTA_Bus

WiFi Available on All COTA Buses, Mobile Payment Coming Soon

 

After testing the service earlier this year on the CBUS Downtown circulator and the AirConnect route to the airport, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has now rolled out free WiFi on all routes.

 

Decals on the inside and outside of the bus indicate that the service is available. To connect to the network, called “COTA Passenger WIFI,” riders will need to check a box saying that they accept the terms and conditions. Registering with an email address or Facebook account is optional.

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/wifi-available-on-all-cota-buses-mobile-payment-coming-soon-bw1

The wifi on COTA is fantastic btw, for anyone who hasn't tried it. Very reliable and fast 4G speeds, (20+mbps). Really a great improvement and totally hassle-free to use.

 

Also, the toothpaste tubes (aka CMAX buses) are currently going through their testing phase along Cleveland Avenue...

 

 

Also, the toothpaste tubes (aka CMAX buses) are currently going through their testing phase along Cleveland Avenue...

 

 

They're Fresh!!!

Cmax saves $3.5M on construction, so COTA's asking feds to add more shelters, security cameras

 

:-o

 

With construction of the bus rapid transit line along Cleveland Avenue has come in $3.5 million under budget, a 7 percent savings so far, the Central Ohio Transit Authority is asking to keep federal grant dollars to enhance the service.

 

The line called Cmax is set to launch in January, running from downtown along Cleveland Avenue into Westerville. Stops are farther apart, allowing for a faster trip. And the buses will be equipped with technology that can turn traffic lights in their favor.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/09/27/cmax-saves-3-5m-onconstruction-so-cotas-asking.html

 

Cmax saves $3.5M on construction, so COTA's asking feds to add more shelters, security cameras

 

:-o

 

With construction of the bus rapid transit line along Cleveland Avenue has come in $3.5 million under budget, a 7 percent savings so far, the Central Ohio Transit Authority is asking to keep federal grant dollars to enhance the service.

 

The line called Cmax is set to launch in January, running from downtown along Cleveland Avenue into Westerville. Stops are farther apart, allowing for a faster trip. And the buses will be equipped with technology that can turn traffic lights in their favor.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/09/27/cmax-saves-3-5m-onconstruction-so-cotas-asking.html

 

Honestly this is great news for not only the CMAX (still hate that name so much), but also how we look to the FTA. Things like this regarding the use of funds could help COTA with future applications and grants. Kudos COTA.

^I think you can thank this for the name... the most sucessful R/C car of all time:

 

^I think you can thank this for the name... the most sucessful R/C car of all time:

 

 

 

Now if the busses looked like that...

Free bus passes for workers: Columbus's big idea to relieve a congested downtown

 

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/oct/03/free-public-transport-downtown-workers-columbus-car

 

Really great article from the Guardian about Columbus' Downtown transit program. I'm really excited for this and hope it begins to shift CBUS' attitude towards transit.

 

COTA Rolling Out New Fareboxes, Mobile Payment Coming Soon

 

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is testing out a new farebox that will allow riders to pay for a bus ride with their cell phone. The new boxes will be on all buses before the end of the year, which is also the time-table for rolling out the mobile payment capability.

 

Here’s how it will work when it is up and running: first, you download the free COTA Connector App and set up an account, which you can either add money to or use to buy an unlimited pass. Within about five minutes, the app will generate a QR code. When you place your phone with the code over the sensor on the farebox, it registers the trip or subtracts the cost of the ride from your account.

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-rolling-out-new-fare-boxes-mobile-payment-coming-soon-bw1

 

COTA Will Not Raise Fares in 2018

 

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) announced today that there will be no increase in fares in 2018.

 

The COTA Board of Trustees had originally been scheduled to vote on the issue this morning, but it did not make it onto the agenda. Interim President/CEO Emille Williams announced during his report to the board that the agency needed more time to assess the impact of its recent system redesign, and would evaluate fares again later in 2018.

 

More below:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-will-not-raise-fares-in-2018

 

I think it's a good move to hold off on a fare increase for now. Wait for the new boxes to be installed, mobile payment app to launch, and give time to fine tune both of these and get riders used to the new system.

Video update on NextGen calling out plans for BRT, LRT, and streetcars,

 

 

Update from the Dispatch on the three finalists for COTA's CEO position,

 

- Emille Williams, COTA’s interim CEO and former manager with Philadelphia's SEPTA

- Richard Krisak, COO for Atlanta's MARTA

- Michael Ford, former CEO for Detroit's RTA

 

Three transit leaders to interview this week for COTA’s top job

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20171203/three-transit-leaders-to-interview-this-week-for-cotas-top-job

^ I think light rail/commuter rail lines connecting Springfield, Delaware, Newark, and Lancaster to downtown Columbus would be huge for the region. There is a surprising number of people who travel fairly long distances to work downtown. I know of many people who travel to downtown Columbus from as afar away as Dayton, Logan, Nelsonville, and Zanesville every day.

 

Those people spend a great deal of time in the car and large amount of money on gas. If someone from Nelsonville could just drive to Lancaster and then catch the train to downtown, it would save them a lot of money and possibly save them some time. 

 

I believe the corridor between Columbus and Newark (Broad Street to Pataskala, and then following Route 16 to Granville and then to Newark) would be the best place to start. East Broad Street is very densely populated for a suburban area, and there is a large number of immigrants in the area who do not drive. Mount Carmel East is also located on East Broad so it would connect a hospital to downtown and to places much further east. There is a large number of warehouses that have popped up in the Pataskala area (Amazon being one of them), so this could provide people in the lower income neighborhoods along Broad Street to a large number of jobs that pay pretty well for the level of qualification they require. Additionally, this would connect downtown Columbus to Dennison University.

Shannon Hardin: Columbus can grow to be transit-friendly

Guest Columnist

Dec. 4, 2017 5:00 AM

 

I’ve often heard it said that Columbus is ordained to be a car-centric community. We have a culture here, the theory goes, in which people simply like to drive, whether it’s across town or across the street. Many believe to try to change this culture would be naïve and self-defeating.

 

I believe this is a narrow view. As a lifelong Columbus resident, I’ve seen a lot of changes in the way we move from place to place. More people today leave their automobiles at home by using bicycles, ride-share services and public transit than when I was growing up. I’ve seen many of our neighborhoods become more hospitable to pedestrians and bikes than to motor vehicles. I notice that many of my friends and colleagues care about living close to where they work.

 

MORE:

www.dispatch.com/opinion/20171204/shannon-hardin-columbus-can-grow-to-be-transit-friendly (requires registration/login)

COTA Cmax rapid bus transit debuts Jan. 1 – and it's free the first week

 

Columbus' first bus rapid-transit line, which promises to shave one-fifth off the travel time along Cleveland Avenue, debuts Jan. 1, right on schedule.

 

Called Cmax, the Central Ohio Transit Authority line speeds travel in two ways: It has fewer stops than a regular route and technology on the bus can switch traffic lights in its favor.

 

That means a trip from Capitol Square to Route 161 should take 26 to 29 minutes instead of 36. Driving on your own takes 28 minutes in light traffic.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2017/12/22/cota-cmax-rapid-bus-transit-debuts-jan-1-and-its.html

 

Another article about COTA's CMAX bus line that starts operations today:

 

 

First BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) Line in Columbus Launches on Monday

By Brent Warren, Columbus Underground

Posted: December 29, 2017 - 7:00 am

 

New Year’s Day will mark the start of service for the CMAX, the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line to be developed by the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA).  Rides will be free on the line – which features specially-branded buses that run up and down Cleveland Avenue – for the first week of its operation.

( . . . )

The CMAX will make limited stops between downtown and State Route 161, where a new Northland Transit Center will feature an indoor waiting area and also serve as a Park and Ride location (the line will continue north, making all local stops, to the Ohio Health Westerville medical campus).  The new transit center sits in the parking lot of a former Meijer store that was converted into offices by Huntington Bank.

 

MORE: http://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-cmax-2018-bw1

 

CPass starts rolling: Downtown workers getting free COTA passes

 

Downtown Columbus workers can start using free bus passes in June after federal funding enabled the $4.6 million bulk purchase through the end of 2020.

 

Cities around the country are watching the transit experiment, called CPass, that aims to ease stubborn office vacancy rates by freeing up parking spots. Property owners within the downtown Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District agreed last year to pay a special assessment of 3 cents per square foot of retail and office space toward buying discounted bus passes for an estimated 45,000 eligible private-sector employees working in and near the district.

 

"That put the initial seed money on the table and I think was a pretty big statement – that private property owners downtown have agreed to put this money forward," said Kacey Brankamp, director of strategic initiatives at Capital Crossroads.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/02/21/cpass-starts-rolling-downtown-workers-getting-free.html

COTA - we're so awesome we have businesses pay for our passes.

Some Downtown workers eligible for free bus rides starting in June

By Kimball Perry, The Columbus Dispatch

Updated: February 28, 2018 at 3:55 PM

 

The Central Ohio Transit Authority has approved the last step in a plan that allows 45,000 Downtown workers to get free, unlimited bus rides as officials seek to cut down on commuting by car.  The program is believed to be the first of its kind in that it is getting more than a quarter of the $4.5 million to operate the program from property owners inside the Downtown special improvement district.

 

Those property owners agreed to tax themselves to raise $1.3 million for the program, to run from June 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2020.  Federal grants will pay $2.84 million, which might be reimbursed by private grants.  Eventually, “it’s conceivable that the (property) owners might pay for 100 percent of it", said Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District.

( . . . )

The money allows property owners to buy $744 annual COTA passes for $40.50 each for their employees.  Called CPass, the workers participating in the program will have stickers placed on company identification cards or information embedded in those cards to get unlimited access to bus rides.  The goal of the 2½-year program is to entice commuters to ride the bus to and from work and free up about 2,400 parking spaces, the equivalent of four parking garages, to attract more Downtown businesses and fill vacant office space.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180228/some-downtown-workers-eligible-for-free-bus-rides-starting-in-june

Awesome program.

Battery-powered buses could propel COTA into the future

By Kimball Perry, The Columbus Dispatch

Posted: March 11, 2018 at 8:20 PM

 

COTA is planning a pilot program to see whether electric buses can drive public transportation in Central Ohio.  “The industry’s moving to electric buses,” said Mike Bradley, COTA’s vice president of planning and service development, during a presentation to the transit agency’s board.

 

The Central Ohio Transit Authority currently has 351 buses, 150 of which run on compressed natural gas.  The rest run on diesel fuel.  COTA expects to add 28 natural-gas-powered buses annually and phase out the diesel fleet, which is more expensive to operate and releases more air-polluting carbon dioxide.

 

Bradley gave a presentation late last month at a COTA board meeting about a three-year pilot program that would use 10 buses powered by electricity.

 

MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180311/battery-powered-buses-could-propel-cota-into-future

Yikes, I hope I'm wrong but my initial reaction to this is that it's definitely not good news...

 

Lots of meaningless "smart city" jargon, no experience at all with bus systems (let alone large, multi-modal, metropolitan transit agencies to which COTA should aspire)...

 

COTA expected to name transportation engineer Joanna Pinkerton as new CEO

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180314/cota-expected-to-name-transportation-engineer-joanna-pinkerton-as-new-ceo

^ You might be on to something there.  Anyway, here's a bit more about her from Business First:

 

COTA's incoming CEO: City bus system must seamlessly integrate with shuttles, ride share and more:

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/03/24/cotas-incoming-ceo-city-bus-system-must-seamlessly.html

COTA faces no threats from Car2Go, Lyft, Chariot and a growing number of shuttle, ride-share and microtransit startups, said incoming CEO Joanna Pinkerton. Rather than competitors, they could be excellent extensions to get people to the bus and then work or play.

 

I've said this before, but if I already have the means (read: money) to use a Lyft or an Uber, why would I take one either before or after I've waited and rode on a bus?  I'm not going to wait around and pay a bus fare, and then suddenly drop $15 on an Uber to get to work.  That's completely impractical to me, but perhaps others disagree.

It only makes sense if the transit is the fastest option from point a to point b. If COTA had some kind of dedicated right of way to zoom downtown past traffic, be it a rail line, bus lane, busway, or something, then it'd be worth it to Uber to the transit. But nobody is going to Uber to the bus stop so that they can then crawl down High St at 15 miles an hour.

A couple miscellaneous COTA updates,

 

Starting in May the CBUS will now run an hour later on weeknights, ending at 10PM instead of 9. It already runs until midnight on Friday and Saturday

 

Mobile ticketing and re-loadable smart cards are still on schedule to launch sometime this summer. The new fareboxes which enable these features have already been installed

 

"C-Pass" the new bus pass program for downtown employees funded by property owners starts June 1st, with registration available at the beginning of May

 

http://morpc.gohio.com/regional-programs/downtown-cpass/

 

https://www.slideshare.net/COTA_Bus

Enrollment Starts Soon for Free Downtown Bus Pass Program

 

Eligible employers can start signing up for the Downtown C-Pass program on May 1, and employees can start using their free, unlimited bus passes starting June 1.

 

Any business, organization, or government entity that is located within the boundary of the program — with a few exceptions — is eligible to participate. It’s a district that extends roughly two blocks on either side of High Street; from Fulton Street to just north of Nationwide Boulevard (the Hyatt Regency Columbus is included).

 

More below:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/enrollment-starts-soon-for-free-downtown-bus-pass-program-bw1

 

Free Downtown Bus Pass Program to Roll Out on Friday

 

 

C-Pass, the free bus pass program that aims to convert thousands of Downtown employees into regular users of the Central Ohio Transit Authority( COTA), is set to officially roll out on Friday.

 

As of Tuesday, 218 Downtown businesses – out of a total of about 1,000 that are within the boundaries of the program – had signed up for the passes, according to Michelle Chippas of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID), the property-owner supported organization that spearheaded the creation of the program.

 

The precise number of employees that will be riding on Friday is not yet known, she added, as many of the businesses have yet to upload all of their employees into the system.

 

More below:

https://www.columbusunderground.com/free-downtown-bus-pass-program-rolls-out-on-friday-bw1

Our company is waiting until July for some reason.

COTA plans to add electric buses to fleet as it phases out diesel

 

COTA wants to add 10 electric buses to its fleet by the end of 2019 as it continues phasing out of diesel for cleaner alternatives.

 

Although they are the same size as regular 40-foot buses, vehicles that charge overnight cost nearly double those powered by diesel or compressed natural gas, but pay for themselves with lower energy and maintenance costs, according to a presentation by the Central Ohio Transit Authority.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/06/27/cota-plans-to-add-electric-buses-to-fleet-as-it.html

 

Anyone know of any plans for COTA to introduce articulated/accordion busses to some of the busier routes? Lately I've noticed the 2, 4, 6, and the 10 could all benefit from some extra room.

It looks like COTA's network redesign is paying so far.

 

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/08/14/the-columbus-bus-network-redesign-boosted-ridership/

Downtown workers already taking 2,800 free trips daily with COTA C-pass

 

Capital Crossroads has signed up more than half the downtown employers it seeks to participate in the free COTA pass program in the two months since it launched. With the two largest participants yet to come online, workers already are averaging 2,800 trips a day.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/08/16/downtown-workers-already-taking-2-800-free-trips.html