August 16, 20186 yr COTA wins highest operations award for mid-size North American transit systems COTA has been named the best-operated mid-size transit system in North America by its national trade group – even before the debut of bus rapid transit and online fare payments. Last year's systemwide redesign, safety enhancements that cut workplace incidents by one-third, adopting clean-fuel vehicles and installing on-bus wireless internet all helped the Central Ohio Transit Authority win the American Public Transportation Association's highest award, Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award, for systems running 4 million to 20 million annual passenger trips. (COTA had 19 million trips in 2017.) “COTA’s many achievements and its vision for greater mobility in the Columbus region are helping redefine public transportation as the backbone of an increasingly interconnected, multimodal transportation network," APTA CEO Paul Skoutelas said in a statement. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/08/16/cota-wins-highest-operations-award-for-mid-size.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
September 20, 20186 yr Union representing COTA drivers says driverless buses unsafe job-killers By Mark Ferenchik, The Columbus Dispatch Updated: Sept. 19, 2018 - 6:53 AM The union representing Central Ohio Transit Authority bus drivers is launching a statewide campaign against driverless vehicles, calling them dangerous and a threat to jobs. Meanwhile, Smart Columbus will announce Wednesday the provider of the low-speed driverless shuttle that will begin operating along the Scioto Mile in the fall. -- [This was reported on here in the Columbus: Smart Cities thread] During a news event Tuesday on North 3rd Street near the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel, where the AFL-CIO is holding its state convention, Transport Workers Union of America officials said self-driving buses are no replacement for drivers, who can help senior riders and children. “It makes no sense at any level,” said John Samuelsen, president of the international union, who introduced what the union is calling the People Before Robots campaign. Andrew Jordan, president of Transport Workers Union Local 208, which represents 870 workers including 700 drivers, said the issue is the safety and security of the community. ... If that means a strike down the road, so be it, he said. The local union is currently in negotiations with COTA. Another negotiating session is scheduled for Thursday, Jordan said. COTA spokesman Patrick Harris said he couldn’t comment on negotiations. He did say, “COTA has no pilot program for a driverless bus whatsoever.” MORE: http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180918/union-representing-cota-drivers-says-driverless-buses-unsafe-job-killers
October 4, 20186 yr Nationwide signs up for C-pass program, greatly expanding ridership By Mark Ferenchik, The Columbus Dispatch Posted: Oct. 1, 2018 - 6:53 AM As of Friday, 12,851 people have signed up to use C-pass, the program that allows eligible Downtown workers to ride Central Ohio Transit Authority buses for free. Beginning Monday, Nationwide workers are able to use the C-pass. Nationwide is the largest private employer to have signed up for the program. More than 1,000 of its workers have signed up. ( . . . ) The C-pass program began June 1, with 230 companies enrolling 7,600 employees. By Friday, the number of companies had grown to 358, or 38 percent of the 952 eligible for the program. Up to 45,000 Downtown workers are eligible for C-pass. Between June 1 and Wednesday, riders had taken 233,000 trips using C-pass, according to COTA. Between Sept. 17 and Sept. 21, roughly 3,700 riders a day used C-pass. ( . . . ) Cleve Ricksecker of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District said C-pass ridership has been building nicely and “meeting my expectations.” The special improvement district initiated the C-pass program for Downtown workers to help introduce them to the system while reducing the number of employees who drive to work. ... Nationwide and Huntington are the two largest private employers to have signed up. The city of Columbus and Franklin County also are on board. ... The pilot program ends Dec. 31, 2020. MORE: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20181001/nationwide-signs-up-for-c-pass-program-greatly-expanding-ridership
October 18, 20186 yr COTA union, board OK three-year contract; driverless buses off the table COTA drivers and maintenance workers and the agency’s board have agreed to a three-year contract that calls for 3 percent raises each year. The contract also includes a provision that calls for on-demand service, in which union operators will drive smaller vehicles in neighborhoods or to employment centers that connect to fixed routes. That service, designed to compete with ride-sharing services such as Uber, will begin next year. ... The contract includes no language on the future of driverless buses, an issue that has prompted union members to pre-emptively rally against them. MORE: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20181017/cota-union-board-ok-three-year-contract-driverless-buses-off-table
October 18, 20186 yr More on that... New labor contract allows COTA to 'compete with Uber and Lyft,' union chief says Ten months overdue, COTA’s new labor contract with its drivers and mechanics clears the path for launching micro-transit and similar services beyond fixed bus routes. The Central Ohio Transit Authority board approved a three-year contract Wednesday after members of Transport Workers Union Local No. 208 voted 395-115 in favor this week. The deal adds a cumulative $7.5 million over three years, or an average 2.4 percent annual increase to $105 million in labor costs in the agency’s $199 million budget. “A strategic, nimble transit system is needed more than ever, and COTA will lead the way,” COTA CEO Joanna Pinkerton said. “Today’s step is more than just a partnership between union and management. It is about ‘one COTA,’ united to serve the community.” More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/10/18/new-labor-contract-allows-cota-to-compete-with.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 5, 20186 yr City and COTA Looking into Pop-Up Bus Lane, Other Ideas from Pitch Event A pop-up bus lane on West Broad Street? That’s one of the ideas that came out of a transit innovation weekend held last month at the Idea Foundry. The event, called Thrive Columbus and hosted by the national organization Purple Aisle, brought together a group of about 100 local residents, neighborhood leaders and transit experts for an intense weekend of brainstorming, refining, and then presenting a wide range of ideas on the theme of equity in transportation. The West Broad Street concept won second place in the pitch competition, while a proposal to create a “smart commute” benefit for all employees in the city took home first place. Dubbed the West Express, the pop-up bus lane is an example of “tactical urbanism,” a strategy that makes temporary, low-cost improvements to streets or other public spaces. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/city-and-cota-looking-into-pop-up-bus-lane-other-ideas-from-pitch-event-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 2, 20196 yr C-Pass Users Helping to Boost COTA Ridership Downtown workers who have signed up for free bus passes through the C-Pass program have taken about 460,000 rides since the program launched in June. Those employees have had an impact on overall ridership, particularly as measured by how many people are traveling in and out of Downtown at rush hour. Numbers provided by the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District (SID) show a 17 percent increase in rush hour boardings from June 1 to the end of November. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/c-pass-users-helping-to-boost-cota-ridership-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 7, 20196 yr Get that pornography out of here!!! Jk......I was like "there is no way this can work and then I saw the bit about the existing rail lines and my mouth dropped. Unfortunately, don't the railroads say absolutely NO to this?
February 7, 20196 yr Just now, Zyrokai said: Get that pornography out of here!!! Jk......I was like "there is no way this can work and then I saw the bit about the existing rail lines and my mouth dropped. Unfortunately, don't the railroads say absolutely NO to this? I mean, probably. My thought would be they could lay commuter rail alongside the existing lines - which if I'm not mistaken are used solely for freight. That said, it's more an idea of what could be put in place with minimal tearing up of existing roads, other land, etc. Very Stable Genius
February 19, 20196 yr We have official word from Amtrak. Columbus "only" the 2nd largest city without passenger rail in the U.S. We're #2! We're #2! Very Stable Genius
February 19, 20196 yr ^and phoenix does have an amtrak stop about half an hour south of it and also light rail in the city (albeit only serves a small portion).
February 28, 20196 yr Bob Weiler's Bold Proposal: Make COTA Free For Everyone https://wosu2.drupal.publicbroadcasting.net/post/bob-weilers-bold-proposal-make-cota-free-everyone Gotta say, it is bold but it's not a terrible plan. Maybe it's just the right kind of bold Columbus needs right now. Edited February 28, 20196 yr by DevolsDance
February 28, 20196 yr That would be amazing. Could you imagine the headlines *nationally* if we became the first city to have a free public transit agency in the country?
March 4, 20196 yr Fascinating 58-second video showing one day of bus activity (Friday, Feb. 22, 2019) that was captured using COTA's public GFTS-Realtime feed: https://www.reddit.com/r/Columbus/comments/axbk64/1_day_of_cota_bus_activity/ FYI: Much better viewed at full-screen (or as big as you can make it), then you can see each blue dot (i.e. COTA vehicle) whizzing around the routes!
April 23, 20196 yr No posts about COTA's 28 new buses? https://www.10tv.com/article/new-cota-buses-improve-air-quality-ride-experience-2019-apr Exciting! I caught them being used yesterday (and today) and had no idea they ordered new ones. I like the way they look. I can't understand why they have the old COTA logo, though (the one with the statehouse in it). The new one they're using isn't on these buses : \ Also, whenever COTA adds new buses like this, do they retire the oldest ones they're using? Really hoping that this means 28 diesel buses with the old branding (meaning the white ones with the simple 2 stripes) and the gross cloth seats have been retired : p Edit: You can see more pictures of the buses from their Twitter: Edited April 23, 20196 yr by Zyrokai
May 16, 20196 yr Transit Columbus Pushes for New Circulator, Ballot Measure in 2020 Local advocacy group Transit Columbus has released a new policy agenda that calls for — among other things — a second Downtown circulator and a 2020 ballot measure to raise money for transit improvements. Josh Lapp, Board Chair of Transit Columbus, says that they’ve dubbed the proposed circulator the DBUS, a play on the existing CBUS, a free shuttle that runs north-south through Downtown, connecting the Brewery District and the Short North. A second route would “fill in some circulation gaps in (the Central Ohio Transit Authority’s) Downtown network,” he says, while also providing a link between the proposed Columbus Crew stadium development and the Discovery District, which is full of parking lots that are underutilized outside of regular business hours. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/transit-columbus-pushes-for-new-circulator-ballot-measure-in-2020-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 22, 20196 yr 'Why are we here?' COTA in rebranding effort to reflect expanded role in mobility, shared prosperity COTA is going through rebranding to reflect its broader mission to "connect people to prosperity" – and not just by bus. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/05/22/why-are-we-here-cota-in-rebranding-effort-to.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 11, 20196 yr Plan for Temporary Bus Lane on Third Street Concerns Bike Advocates The City of Columbus and the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) are moving forward with plans for a demonstration project involving a stretch of Third Street Downtown. Starting on July 22 and running for two weeks, the far right hand lane of the one-way street, between Long and Mound Streets – which currently holds a striped bike lane, as well as about 24 on-street parking spaces – will be opened up for bus travel during the evening rush hour. It is the first of several planned “tactical urbanism” projects, in which temporary, low-cost improvements to streets are made in order to try out new traffic patterns, gather feedback and collect data. A plan to replace a car travel lane with a temporary bus lane on West Broad Street was first floated last year, and the city and COTA both pledged to look into the idea, doubling down on that pledge when the Corridor Concepts study was released. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/plan-for-temporary-bus-lane-on-third-street-concerns-bike-advocates-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 1, 20195 yr Cbus at 5 years: Ridership has grown on free connector service Five years since its inception, ridership on the free Cbus service connecting Downtown to nearby neighborhoods is nearly 700,000 per year. And the Central Ohio Transit Authority — which runs the circulator every 10 to 15 minutes, intersecting with several other bus routes and highly frequented attractions such as Nationwide Arena and the Brewery District — says Cbus appeals to out-of-towners and locals alike. ... On an average day, the Cbus circulator is filled with Downtown workers, residents and tourists. Most riders are getting lunch or running errands along its route from German Village through the Short North. Launched on May 5, 2014, Cbus provided 348,230 trips in the eight months of that year that it was in operation, according to COTA ridership data. Riders in 2018 had increased to 692,221. ... The route has about 2,000 to 3,000 riders a day and 11,000 to 14,000 a week. Ridership dips on the weekend to about 500 to 1,000 a day, depending on what events are going on. The total cost to operate Cbus in 2018 was $1,345,717. Contributions from Nationwide, OhioHealth, Fifth Third Bank, the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District and others make free service possible. ... Last June, COTA began its C-pass program for 45,000 Downtown workers in the Capital Crossroads district; the program is partly financed by property owners in the district in an effort to reduce the number of commuters driving Downtown. ... More than 83% of COTA’s projected revenue comes from a 0.5% sales tax; only 12.3% comes from passenger fares. Passenger revenue is forecast to increase 1.9% this year, from $19.2 million to $19.57 million. MORE: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190630/cbus-at-5-years-ridership-has-grown-on-free-connector-service
July 10, 20195 yr COTA to build new downtown customer experience center The Central Ohio Transit Authority is set to start construction on a customer experience center downtown that will be finished in fall 2019. The center, located at at COTA's headquarters at 33 N. High Street, will include ticket purchasing kiosks, an enhanced waiting area, a large display with COTA system information and personal service from COTA ambassadors, according to a news release. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/07/09/cota-to-build-new-downtown-customer-experience.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 14, 20195 yr COTA testing on-demand service to improve job accesss in Grove City COTA is testing on-demand micro-transit – aiming to send a van in less than 15 minutes when hailed by app or phone – in parts of Grove City. The COTA Plus service starts Monday, serving sites including Mount Carmel Grove City Hospital, Southpark business park, warehouses along Gantz Road and retailers on London-Groveport Road east of I-71. The Central Ohio Transit Authority is evaluating seven neighborhoods inside the I-270 beltway to expand the service, CEO Joanna Pinkerton said. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/07/13/cota-testing-on-demand-service-to-improve-job.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 24, 20195 yr Forward motion: COTA strategic plan calls for partnerships, data to reduce inequities Expect more outside partnerships like the on-demand micro-transit vendor running a test in Grove City as COTA embarks on a five-year strategic plan designed to help more Central Ohioans reach destinations they need to achieve prosperity. "Moving every life forward" is the motivation behind the plan the Central Ohio Transit Authority's board adopted Wednesday morning. The statement arose from a series of trustee sessions to craft the agency's new vision and mission. "COTA is poised to focus our energy and priorities on providing services to move people to prosperity as our community grows and grapples with the implications for the need of additional mobility options," CEO Joanna Pinkerton said in a news release. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/07/24/forward-motion-cota-strategic-plan-calls-for.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 26, 20195 yr Transportation Roundup: COTA Says Mobile Payment Will be Ready by Fall A long-delayed upgrade that will make it easier and more convenient to ride a bus in Columbus will roll out soon, according to the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). COTA started installing new fareboxes on its buses in the fall of 2017. One of the selling points of the new technology was that it would allow for mobile payment, and COTA representatives said at the timethat by the end of the year, customers would be able to pay for a bus ride with their cell phone. The new fareboxes were installed, and a certain subset of users – downtown workers who qualify for the C-Pass program – have been using them to scan their phones for boarding for over a year, but that capability was never extended to all customers. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/transportation-roundup-cota-mobile-payment-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 14, 20195 yr All aboard: Free downtown bus program doubles ridership in its first year It hasn't taken long for downtown's C-pass program to gain steam with the public. The program offering free Central Ohio Transit Authority bus passes to downtown workers has seen ridership double from June 2018 to June 2019, and more than 14,800 downtown employees are registered for the C-pass, according to a survey by CJI Research. Between 10% and 14% of the 2,655 downtown employees surveyed reported using it. Growth like this is encouraging to Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District. C-pass users account for 25,000 weekly rides, having taken more than 1 million rides in the first year of the program. Ridership during rush hour has gone up 24%. "The initial switch is remarkable, and long-term for the program that is encouraging," Ricksecker said. In total 430 downtown companies are enrolled in the program, including the 50 largest eligible employers. Of 129 companies surveyed, 52% reported knowing employees had relinquished parking to use COTA buses, and 34% of them said it's helping recruit and retain employees. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/08/14/all-aboardfree-downtown-bus-program-doubles.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
August 14, 20195 yr Quick math based on some numbers in that article... 25,000 weekly rides divided by two (assuming two trips per day) puts us at 12,500 weekly riders. If you take the weekly riders and split them amongst the likely 5 days a week they are commuting to work, that leaves us at roughly 2,500 people a day. I know it's not the 14,800 enrolled, but and additional 2,500 transit commuters a day and probably around 2,000 less cars a day downtown... that's pretty impressive. Yes, there is a long way to go but I see nothing but good things happening here.
August 15, 20195 yr On 7/26/2019 at 5:00 PM, ColDayMan said: Transportation Roundup: COTA Says Mobile Payment Will be Ready by Fall A long-delayed upgrade that will make it easier and more convenient to ride a bus in Columbus will roll out soon, according to the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). COTA started installing new fareboxes on its buses in the fall of 2017. One of the selling points of the new technology was that it would allow for mobile payment, and COTA representatives said at the timethat by the end of the year, customers would be able to pay for a bus ride with their cell phone. The new fareboxes were installed, and a certain subset of users – downtown workers who qualify for the C-Pass program – have been using them to scan their phones for boarding for over a year, but that capability was never extended to all customers. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/transportation-roundup-cota-mobile-payment-bw1 I'm not sure if this is out yet, but...I was previously enrolled in the C-Pass Program (for about one week lol) before I took a job just outside the eligible area - literally a block. But, I still was able to use it on occasion (hot days, snowy days, etc. because I mostly just walk now). That is, until this past May when someone caught on I was no longer at my old employer. No matter - it was a free perk that should have been discontinued when I left lol. So periodically I check to see when I'll be able to load money into my account and buy a one way pass. It always said "not available" when I went to load in credit card information...until this week. Now, I'm not sure if that's because my account was initially set up through C-Pass or if it is now available to anyone who downloads the app. Very Stable Genius
August 20, 20195 yr On 6/11/2019 at 4:33 PM, ColDayMan said: Plan for Temporary Bus Lane on Third Street Concerns Bike Advocates The City of Columbus and the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) are moving forward with plans for a demonstration project involving a stretch of Third Street Downtown. Starting on July 22 and running for two weeks, the far right hand lane of the one-way street, between Long and Mound Streets – which currently holds a striped bike lane, as well as about 24 on-street parking spaces – will be opened up for bus travel during the evening rush hour. It is the first of several planned “tactical urbanism” projects, in which temporary, low-cost improvements to streets are made in order to try out new traffic patterns, gather feedback and collect data. A plan to replace a car travel lane with a temporary bus lane on West Broad Street was first floated last year, and the city and COTA both pledged to look into the idea, doubling down on that pledge when the Corridor Concepts study was released. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/plan-for-temporary-bus-lane-on-third-street-concerns-bike-advocates-bw1 Test finds bike lane helps COTA buses Downtown Preliminary results from a two-week pilot program show that Central Ohio Transit Authority buses traveled more quickly through Downtown on 3rd Street by using a shared bus-bicycle lane. Before the pilot program, buses took between 3 and 24 minutes to travel south on 3rd from Long Street to Noble Street, a trip of nearly three-quarters of a mile; the average time was 7 minutes, 45 seconds. During the pilot program, the range of times dropped to between 2 and 10 minutes, and the average time to 5 minutes, 39 seconds. The pilot program ran during evening rush hours — 3 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays — from July 22 through Aug. 2. Police were stationed along 3rd Street during the trial period. COTA officials have said the southbound-only street often becomes backed up during evening rush hour, delaying buses by 10 to 25 minutes. Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin said that the results make him want to test more during other pilot projects. ... City and COTA officials plan to announce a similar pilot project along another street by early September. MORE: https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20190817/test-finds-bike-lane-helps-cota--buses-downtown
August 30, 20195 yr Well, this story does involve a COTA bus... DISPATCH: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190829/two-injured-after-crash-sends-cota-bus-into-apartment-building NBC4 VIDEO REPORT: https://www.nbc4i.com/news/passengers-trapped-after-crash-sends-cota-bus-into-apartment-building/ 8:30 am yesterday morning, an SUV ran a stop sign at Hamilton & E. 18th in South Linden and struck a COTA bus, causing the bus to go off the road and crash into a one-story apartment building. The driver of the SUV and the bus driver were taken the hospital and are both listed in stable condition. Two passengers on the bus and two people inside the building were not injured. Looking at these images from the NBC4 report and the last photo of the bus removed from the building, it is amazing that no one was killed or more seriously injured(!) THE BUS IN THE BUILDING THE SUV THAT HIT THE BUS THE BUS REMOVED FROM THE BUILDING (check out where the front window should be!)
September 3, 20195 yr I hope the driver of the SUV got a ticket for running the stop sign! And has to pay for a new front window for the apartment:)
October 3, 20195 yr COTA launches mobile payments COTA has finally rolled out mobile payments and pre-paid fare cards. The Central Ohio Transit Authority has pursued the idea of waving a smart card in front of fare boxes more than a decade. Non-riders in a recent focus group said mobile payments would increase their likelihood of riding, the agency said in a release. “We believe this first iteration of digital payment will draw new customers to COTA, specifically those who have held back from riding public transportation because they want the convenience of cash-free payment,” CEO Joanna Pinkerton said in the release. More below: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/10/03/cota-launches-mobile-payments.html & https://www.columbusunderground.com/pay-by-phone-now-available-on-cota-buses-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
October 4, 20195 yr ^^^^ Came here to post this! This is super exciting and about time! I immediately got it and loaded up $10. I used it this morning and it works just fine. I'm just so glad they finally have it. Funny story....I was literally on my way out the door to go to the gas station, get $10 from the ATM, but a stick of gum so I could have some singles for the bus, and then this story popped up on my phone and I immediately got it instead of walking to the gas station. This scenario happens weekly. No more. Thank GOD. Also, here's the Columbus Underground story on it: https://www.columbusunderground.com/pay-by-phone-now-available-on-cota-buses-bw1
October 4, 20195 yr COTA - joining the 21st century in 2019! Finally, though. It may take awhile for people to learn, but it's so much easier than having to go buy daily/monthly passes or constantly carrying the right number of bills/change. Very Stable Genius
October 4, 20195 yr They also claim it's the first account-based system in the country. Is that true?
November 12, 20195 yr City and COTA Announce Plan for Second Bus Lane Experiment Last summer, the City of Columbus and the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) temporarily made one lane of Third Street Downtown open only to buses, bikes and scooters. The new alignment was only in effect during rush hour and lasted for just two weeks, but it yielded data and survey results that could be used to inform the design of future demonstration projects, as well as, perhaps, more permanent solutions to traffic and mobility problems throughout the region. Today the city and COTA announced that a second “mobility innovation test” will take place along a 0.8-mile stretch of North High Street, on November 23. In conjunction with the Ohio State football game against Penn State, the southbound curb lane of High Street – from Dodridge Street to Lane Avenue – will be reserved for buses, bikes and scooters from 10 a.m. until the start of the game at noon. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/city-and-cota-announce-plan-for-second-bus-lane-experiment-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 19, 20195 yr COTA's 2020 operating budget has been approved by its board: Employee raises, increased routes in 2020 COTA budget COTA’s 2020 budget includes money to expand its microtransit service for job hubs to three more areas, and to increase the frequency of service on its popular CMAX line on Cleveland Avenue and the No. 2 line on southbound North High Street during the morning commute. COTA’s board of trustees on Wednesday approved a $170 million operating budget for the new year, an 8.9% increase over the adjusted 2019 budget. ( . . . ) The spending plan includes money for COTA to expand its on-demand microtransit service in Grove City. There, COTA provides small buses for first-mile/last-mile connections that provide service between fixed-route stops and workplaces. The microtransit COTA Plus pilot serves Mount Carmel Grove City hospital, the Southpark Industrial Park, and businesses along Route 665. A second pilot will serve downtown Grove City, the Walmart distribution center and other locations. ( . . . ) COTA Plus also will be expanded to serve three other areas, although COTA spokesman Jeff Pullin said the system won’t announce which areas until early next year. ... COTA also plans to increase the frequency of service on several existing lines. CMAX service heading north on Cleveland Avenue from Downtown will start running every 10 minutes beginning at 2 p.m. rather than 3 p.m. and the No. 2 bus heading south on North High Street will increase in frequency between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on weekdays. ( . . . ) COTA also is boosting its minimum wage to $15 an hour, affecting about 65 employees and costing COTA an additional $160,000 a year. Workers who belong to Transport Workers Union of America Local 208, which represents drivers and others, are due 3% raises in 2020. ... COTA employs about 1,100, and wages and benefits make up 63% of its budget. MORE: https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20191218/employee-raises-increased-routes-in-2020-cota-budget
December 19, 20195 yr Also at COTA's annual end-of-year Board of Trustees meeting, the board heard a report from downtown's Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District about the C-pass program - which gives thousands of Downtown workers the ability to ride COTA buses free: C-pass free bus passes play role in luring companies Downtown Some companies say that C-pass has helped influence their decisions to renew Downtown Columbus office leases or relocate Downtown. Since June 2018, the C-pass program, which is financed by Downtown business owners (thru the SID) and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, has provided 1.6 million rides and enrolled more than 440 companies and 15,100 employees. A survey by the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District in May and June found that 34% of surveyed companies reported that the program is helping them retain workers, while 34% of those companies said it is helping them recruit employees. ... The survey had 129 companies participating, with 2,655 employees completing it. Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of the special improvement district, also said that 17 companies reported that C-pass helped influence their decisions to renew or sign a lease in C-pass-eligible buildings. ... Two companies highlighted were Candid, an NYC-based company that makes clear teeth aligners and located a second HQ office in the renovated Dispatch building at 34 S. Third Street, and Bold Penguin, a local tech-based commercial-insurance exchange company that expanded into office space in Chase Tower at the corner of Third & Broad. MORE: https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20191218/c-pass-free-bus-passes-play-role-in-luring-companies-downtown
January 6, 20205 yr I really hope they double down on the CPASS: Expand the eligible footprint and get more business to opt in.
February 4, 20205 yr COTA to Increase Frequency on 3 Lines, Might Eliminate NightOwl The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is considering eliminating its NightOwl line, the bus that provides late-night service up and down North High Street three nights a week. Jeff Pullin, COTA’s Public Information Officer, said that ridership on the line is down by about 50 percent since it launched in 2012. He said that part of that decline could be due to the subsequent arrival in Columbus of ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft (and also scooters), but that the ridership “continues to fall year-over-year.” The NightOwl runs from Downtown to Whetstone Park in Clintonville and back, from Thursday to Sunday. It runs every half hour – northbound service starts at 8:15 p.m. and continues through the 3 a.m. hour). More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-to-increase-frequency-on-3-lines-might-eliminate-nightowl-bw1 "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 5, 20205 yr 17 hours ago, ColDayMan said: COTA to Increase Frequency on 3 Lines, Might Eliminate NightOwl The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is considering eliminating its NightOwl line, the bus that provides late-night service up and down North High Street three nights a week. More below: https://www.columbusunderground.com/cota-to-increase-frequency-on-3-lines-might-eliminate-nightowl-bw1 This makes sense as long as they extend hours on the #2 as a replacement. Glad the CMAX seems to be doing well enough that more frequent service is on the docket.
February 6, 20205 yr The CMAX is always packed whenever I've ridden it. I think they even had two buses running next to each other once (intentionally) because one isn't enough to hold everyone. However, if you ask me, it should have been an articulated bus in the first place with dedicated lanes like a real BRT line BUT WHAT DO I KNOW.
February 9, 20205 yr On 2/6/2020 at 7:02 AM, Zyrokai said: The CMAX is always packed whenever I've ridden it. I think they even had two buses running next to each other once (intentionally) because one isn't enough to hold everyone. However, if you ask me, it should have been an articulated bus in the first place with dedicated lanes like a real BRT line BUT WHAT DO I KNOW. TIME TO BRING IN THE BENDY BOYS!!!!
February 16, 20205 yr On 10/4/2019 at 1:48 PM, Zyrokai said: They also claim it's the first account-based system in the country. Is that true? I'm not sure that's true but I'm sure there are semantics that make something about it true. CTA's (Chicago) Ventra system is account based as well. You can manage cards, amounts, etc via the website or very easy to use mobile app. The difference is you have a physical card to tap for CTA. I like the app function for COTA but I personally would rather just have the RFID card that you just tap and the fare is automatically deducted rather than purchasing a ticket each time in the app. I hope it someday COTA adds the option of auto reload as well rather than manually adding money each time. Funny enough, the COTA Connect App reminds me alot of the Dallas GoPass app about 5 years ago. That app has seen alot of improvements over the years and now integrates payments (account based), maps, trip planners, bus and rail schedules and tracking. Basically combining the COTA Connect and Transit App into one should be a priority on the technology side. My biggest complaint will always be why it seems that COTA seems to be trying to reinvent the wheel when there are already well established digital ticketing platforms, mapping, etc etc. Edited February 16, 20205 yr by DTCL11
February 19, 20205 yr "The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) posted another year of steady ridership gains, with more total rides on the system in 2019 than during any year since 1988. The uptick in ridership comes at a time that many transit agencies nationwide are seeing declining numbers – a COTA press release stated that in 2018, COTA was only one of six transit systems (out of the top 30 markets), to see ridership growth." "Here are the ridership totals dating back to 2016, with the change from the previous year in parentheses:" 2019 – 19,141,454 (+1.2%) 2018 – 18,913,789 (+2.8%) 2017 – 18,401,546 (-0.8%) 2016 – 18,549,436 COTA Ridership in 2019 Highest in 31 Years
February 19, 20205 yr 7 minutes ago, Gnoraa said: "The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) posted another year of steady ridership gains, with more total rides on the system in 2019 than during any year since 1988. The uptick in ridership comes at a time that many transit agencies nationwide are seeing declining numbers – a COTA press release stated that in 2018, COTA was only one of six transit systems (out of the top 30 markets), to see ridership growth." "Here are the ridership totals dating back to 2016, with the change from the previous year in parentheses:" 2019 – 19,141,454 (+1.2%) 2018 – 18,913,789 (+2.8%) 2017 – 18,401,546 (-0.8%) 2016 – 18,549,436 COTA Ridership in 2019 Highest in 31 Years Interesting picture from the article:
February 19, 20205 yr 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.
February 19, 20205 yr On 2/16/2020 at 12:45 PM, DTCL11 said: My biggest complaint will always be why it seems that COTA seems to be trying to reinvent the wheel when there are already well established digital ticketing platforms, mapping, etc etc. Because it's America. People in this country insist on building everything from the ground up rather than finding what works in similar situations and cloning that, partnering with them or working with the outside organization that has already solved the issue.
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