June 3, 200817 yr so what you're telling me is that COTA's budget comes from: 1. sales tax 2. property tax? 3. other? I am definitely in favor of gas taxes going to R/D in appropriate transportation at federal, state, and county/city level.
June 6, 200817 yr I'd just like to voice that it's ridiculous that COTA's Airport express route only runs during select days throughout the year. This is a far cry from what Cincinnati or (especially) Indy has in place. I think the IndyGo Green Line is amazing: $7 for a 24-hour express from downtown to the airport. I considered flying out of Columbus for a trip, but since the bus won't be running that day, it forced me to look elsewhere. No way I'd burn $20+ on a cab if I have other options. I just thought this should be a larger priority for Columbus, making it less difficult for non-drivers to get to thier international hub.
June 6, 200817 yr COTA once ran regular and frequent service to Port Columbus with small buses. This was back in 2002-2001. It was a good idea, but not well-executed: poorly marketed to the point most people didn't know it existed. Worse, even the identity of the buses was somewhat hijecked by the then head of the Greater Columbus Arts Council, who was allowed to put arts-related murals on the buses that made them look like rolling billboards that completely failed to identify the buses as an airport shuttle. As I recall, the service was ended in 2003, and what you see now is what's left.
June 6, 200817 yr That's a shame. I really hope they come up with a new plan for better airport accessibility. It's exactly what I love about Indy's service, and I haven't even ridden it yet. Maybe it's just me, but I'm excited in advance at knowing that I won't miss the shuttle. ;) I do see an opportunity for airport-oriented advertisements, if Columbus were to rethink things. Heck, it would even be to Port Columbus' benefit to front money for the service.
June 6, 200817 yr You should put your thoughts together and let the Columbus Airports Authority hear about them: http://www.columbusairports.com/default.asp I would contact Dave Whittaker, who is their VP of Marketing (I believe).
June 6, 200817 yr Great idea. It seems that the number of letters/e-mails I should be writing to different entities is growing quite fast. Thanks for the contact.
June 17, 200816 yr $4.44 a gallon for soy biodiesel! Wonder what kind of gas mileage a full-size COTA bus gets. :wink: You do not want to know (psst. the number is around 4 mpg). Unfortunately the COTA contract for cheap diesel is ending and the economy is slowing, shrinking the projected budget. Airport service will be improved eventually but the airport is changing the alignment of one of its major roads and that is causing some delay. I actually work for COTA as a service planner (anything I put up here about COTA is unofficial) and if anyone has questions I can try to answer. Also if you ever want service to change just call up COTA's info line and talk to one of our rep's. Recommendations actually do make it back to the correct departments and they even appear on our service change lists from time to time. (On the downlow we are trying to purchase hybrid-electric diesel articulated buses!)
June 17, 200816 yr so what you're telling me is that COTA's budget comes from: 1. sales tax 2. property tax? 3. other? A rough breakdown of Revenue sources from 2006: Sales Tax Rev 59.4%, Passenger Fares 16.7%, Federal Assistance 13.7%, Federal Capital Grants 4.1%, State Capital Grants 2.0%, State Assistance 1.5%, Other and Interest Income 2.5%. The 2007 breakdown has not been released yet but should be soon'ish.
June 19, 200816 yr The wheels on the bus go past some riders At peak times, COTA can't always meet demand Thursday, June 19, 2008 3:30 AM By Tim Doulin THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Business is getting almost too good for COTA, to the point that some buses are driving past waiting riders at stops because there's no room for them. "That happens to me all the time," said Laverne Morris, a longtime COTA rider from Gahanna who works at Nationwide Children's Hospital as a secretary. She said the No. 1 Cleveland Avenue bus regularly passes her by, including one morning last week at 5th Avenue, where she was waiting to transfer. "I had to wait for the next bus," she said. "They run every 10 minutes, but it made me late for work." Read more at http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/06/19/driveby_bus.ART_ART_06-19-08_B1_C6AHI3T.html?sid=101
June 23, 200816 yr Councilmember O’Shaughnessy to convene public service and transportation committee meeting on bicycle law and COTA SERVICE PLANS (COLUMBUS)—Columbus City Council member Maryellen O'Shaughnessy, chair of council's public service and transportation committee, will be joined by committee members Tuesday, June 24, 2008 at 5:00 PM in City Council Chambers. At 5:00 PM the committee will hear from Public Service Director Mark Kelsey and City Engineer Randy Bowman regarding changes to Columbus bicycle laws proposed in the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan. At 5:30 PM O’Shaughnessy will moderate a public forum led by Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) president and CEO Bill Lhota. Lhota will discuss proposed service improvements, long range transit plans, and how streetcars and light rail fit into COTA's future transit improvements. Who: Public Service and Transportation Committee Chair Maryellen O’Shaughnessy Members of the Public Service and Transportation Committee What: Public Service and Transportation Committee Meeting When: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 5:00 PM Where: City Council Chambers City Hall, 2nd Floor 90 West Broad Street Parking is free on City Hall surface lots after 5:00 PM
July 8, 200816 yr Mass Transit Discussion on WOUB 10:00 AM - Mass Transit in Central Ohio The present and past of mass transit in Central Ohio, with Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) Executive Director Chester Jourdan, Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) President and CEO and Ohio Public Transportation Association (OPTA) President William Lhota, and Columbus City Council Member Maryellen O’Shaughnessy. With guest host Mike Thompson. www.wosu.org/radio/radio-open-line
July 8, 200816 yr I like how COTA has all-day passes; I don't remember them having that in Cincinnati, just transfers. I thought 3.50 was a little steep for one though. Another thing I noticed is that there are a LOT more bus shelters in Columbus than Cincinnati. Overall, I like the experience here better and don't mind paying slightly higher fares.
July 16, 200816 yr COTA Googles improved route maps Business First of Columbus - by Adrian Burns Friday, July 11, 2008 Demand for public transit is on the rise and the Central Ohio Transit Authority has taken a step to simplify the effort of getting from Point A to Point B. COTA on July 4 put a trip-planning tool developed by Google Inc. on its Web site that allows users to punch in starting and ending addresses and - with clicks of a computer mouse - get step-by-step directions for taking the bus to their destination. The routes are displayed on the popular Google Maps platform. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/14/story5.html
July 19, 200816 yr COTA riders get help from Google in planning trips Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 3:21 AM By Tim Doulin THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Google helps millions of people find things on the Internet. Now, it's helping COTA riders find their bus. Riders can go to the COTA Web site, www.cota.com, and punch in the starting and ending points of their trip, along with the date and time the trip will be made. Google Transit processes the information and tells riders where and when to meet the bus that will take them where they want to go. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/07/17/Google_Transit.ART_ART_07-17-08_B1_VVAP8RV.html?sid=101
July 22, 200816 yr COTA considers bendy buses to cope with busier routes The transit authority examines Cleveland's use of high-capacity articulated buses. By KATHLEEN L. RADCLIFF Published: Monday, July 21, 2008 9:47 AM EDT As gas prices continue to climb, more Central Ohio residents are using the Central Ohio Transit Authority to get from point A to point B. Ridership is up 8 percent for 2008, resulting in some of the transit authority's busiest routes -- No. 1 Cleveland Avenue, No. 2 High Street and No. 10 Broad Street -- experiencing overcrowding, and, in some instances, being forced to leave passengers behind. To help alleviate the problem, COTA officials looked to Ohio's lakeshore. Representatives from the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority drove one of its newest fleet acquisitions -- a 62-foot hybrid articulated bus -- giving COTA employees and officials a test ride Thursday, July 17. For more information about the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project or Greater Cleveland RTA, visit the Web site www.rideRTA.com. For more information about COTA, call 614-228-1776 or visit www.cota.com.
July 28, 200816 yr If you're talking hybrid buses, we should be looking at that technology and putting it into service. Generally speaking, buses are geared low enough that a diesel-eelctric hybrid begins to make sense.
July 29, 200816 yr Specifically I was talking about articulated hybrid buses. Mainly would you like to see them on the streets of Columbus? Do you think it's feasible to do so? What problems could arise? What benefits? I know the benefits as far as ridership, service quality, air quality, and maintenance savings are concerned but what about aesthetics, customer POV and the non-rider's POV? I ask because COTA is looking into purchasing articulated hybrid buses but there are many unknown factors floating around we would like to nail down.
July 29, 200816 yr As many times as I ride the #2 on North High Street during peak hours, it frequently seems our bus is either being passed by another #2 or following one up ahead. I think the articulated hybrids could actually change this and actually free up buses for either added service on other routes or perhaps even new routes. It should work as well on the oter major "trunk" routes.... East Broad, Cleveland Avenue, etc... Given that ridership is up and many trucnk route buses are more crowded than usual...sometimes even during off-peak hours... the articulated buses may also alleviate some of that crowding. I'm for 'em!
July 31, 200816 yr COTA plans to expand High Street lot Wednesday, July 16, 2008 By JENNIFER NESBITT, ThisWeek Staff Writer With an increased demand in its park-and-ride services, the Central Ohio Transit Authority is looking to expand its Delawanda lot. COTA has purchased the lot just north of its current location, at North High Street and Leland Avenue, and is looking at getting the property rezoned as CPD, or commercial planned development, to serve as a park and ride. COTA representatives appeared before the Clintonville Area Commission July 10 with its rezoning request, which was unanimously approved. Rezoning the property would allow COTA to add 22 new spaces to the park-and-ride location. Under COTA's plan, the existing park-and-ride lot would remain as is, and the new lot would include landscaping to match the current lot, and there would be no additional entrances or exits. The site also will include 5- to 6-foot tall juniper trees along the northern property line to shield the neighboring apartment complex from the lot's traffic. COTA will erect a decorative wooden fence on the west side of the lot, along an alley, to provide screening to the Delawanda subdivision. MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/clintonville/stories/2008/07/16/0717clcota_ln.html
July 31, 200816 yr More at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/28/daily22.html Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 4:52 PM EDT COTA using state funds to install emission-cutting engines Business First of Columbus - by Matt Burns The Central Ohio Transit Authority could receive more than $800,000 in state funding to install emission-cutting engines on some older vehicles in its fleet. The Ohio Department of Development this week announced COTA was one of 10 grant recipients through its Diesel Emissions Reduction Grant program, funded through $19.8 million earmarked in the state budget bill passed earlier this year. Dan Liggett, a COTA spokesman, said the bus system’s estimated award is $862,409, which it plans to match with $215,602.
August 2, 200816 yr More at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/08/01/cotagreen.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101 <b>COTA seeks $5.7 million grant for 6 extra-long hybrid buses</b> Friday, August 1, 2008 BY TIM DOULIN THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Super-long, environmentally friendly buses powered by a combination of electricity and diesel are in the Central Ohio Transit Authority's future. COTA is seeking $5.7 million through a federal grant to purchase six articulated hybrid buses. Each bus is 62 feet long, bends in the middle and holds about 100 riders. It runs on electric batteries and switches over to a diesel engine.
August 4, 200816 yr I wrote the project details and summary for this grant. Unfortunately I do not suspect COTA will receive much funding, but one can hope :) The implementation of the artics would be a great benefit to the overcrowded local lines. Did you know Columbus has a ban on buses over 48 ft long? COTA had to request support to change this law from a member of city council who, unfortunately, did not come through with a letter.
August 4, 200816 yr The above picture was posted at the Columbus Underground site with this COTA story. I'm not sure if its an exact image of the extra-long hybrid buses in question. But it is certainly articulated! If approved this would break new ground for COTA.
August 4, 200816 yr That is the bus model that Cleveland is using. They stopped at COTA's building to show us. It is likely not the exact model COTA would be using. Most likely there will be no left hand doors and it might sit higher. I believe this was the low floor BRT model; while COTA would go for a standard height since low floor is unnecessary and costs more.
August 5, 200816 yr Did you know Columbus has a ban on buses over 48 ft long? COTA had to request support to change this law from a member of city council who, unfortunately, did not come through with a letter. I have a contact at council who mentioned this issue to me last week and said they were proactively working on getting it fixed before the new buses would be scheduled to arrive.
August 15, 200816 yr COTA ridership spikes 18 percent for July Suburban News Publications Published: Friday, August 15, 2008 10:45 AM EDT The Central Ohio Transit Authority experienced an 18 percent increase in bus ridership on its fixed routes for the month of July. Passenger boardings exceeded 1.4 million for the month, an increase of nearly 220,000 boardings during July 2007, COTA Media and Public Relations Manager Dan Liggett said in an information release. So far in 2008, ridership on COTA's local, express and crosstown lines has exceeded 92 million, compared with 8.4 million boardings for the same time frame in 2007. Higher gasoline prices have led to increased ridership on public transportation systems nationwide, and COTA officials said they believe the trend is being repeated in Central Ohio, Liggett said. Read more at http://www.snponline.com/articles/2008/08/15/multiple_papers/news/allcota%208-_20080815_1035am_2.txt
August 16, 200816 yr Warehouses looking for workers getting help from new COTA route Business First of Columbus - by Adrian Burns Friday, August 15, 2008 The Central Ohio Transit Authority is taking action to boost development at Rickenbacker Global Logistics Park and the surrounding area. The public bus system is launching an express line to the Rickenbacker area starting Sept. 2. It hopes the route turns into an important step in keeping up with a growing employment base in the logistics area south of Columbus. “We’ve got companies that need workers, and workers who need jobs,” said COTA CEO Bill Lhota. “But many are entry level, and the cost of transportation and a personal vehicle would be prohibitive for those that are taking these jobs, so we’ve created an opportunity to get people to Rickenbacker in an economical fashion.” Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/08/18/story7.html
August 16, 200816 yr I hope this works. COTA tried a similar route back in 2000 and it died from lack of rdiership. A lot is different now...not the least of which is gas prices.
September 4, 200816 yr I've been taking the #1 (Cleveland) bus from my home downtown up to my job in Polaris as often as possible this summer. To accommodate for the access shortfalls--transferring from the stop closest to my house is an incredible ordeal, and the bus stops 2 miles shy of my destination--I've been biking to and from the bus stops, all told, about 7 miles of riding per round trip. I'm in good health and the weather's been mainly nice, but this would be impossible for me under any other circumstances. Busses have been added to my route in the morning and the schedule has shifted slightly allowing me to leave later in the morning and I love the bike racks, but I can see the whole time-as-money argument pretty clearly. I do it because I choose to, I don't get the sense the other riders are in my privileged boat.
September 4, 200816 yr yeah doubtful. if it's in polaris the paint is probably not even dry on the office building yet.
September 4, 200816 yr Seriously, check the Google Maps for my work address: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=440+Polaris+Pkwy,+Westerville,+OH+43082&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=67.471341,113.203125&ie=UTF8&ll=40.146388,-82.944632&spn=0.008136,0.013819&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr> No Joke: it's still an empty field.
September 4, 200816 yr whoa -- if you are a farmer you are going to be sprawled out of a job soon! :laugh: seriously it sure looks a lot different since back when i was working near there in westerville.
September 4, 200816 yr I haven't been up that way in a couple of years. Isn't that right where Oakland Nursery used to be? I did a story for the Dispatch 11 years ago about how that profitable business was facing the prospect of being sprawled out. And of course, one of the ironies is that the sprawling developments there are set way back from the road and far apart, separated by seas of asphalt and useless greenspace that is peppered with foliage from the sorts of nurseries they replaced.
September 4, 200816 yr ^Try to talk your company into moving downtown. Actually, that's another irony. Many businesses in that area, and elsewhere along the outerbelt, used to be in or near downtown and their employees used to take the bus to work. Then they moved to these suburban campuses and complained to COTA: Hey! Where's our bus?
September 12, 200816 yr COTA handed extra funding $2.1 million allocation from MORPC to help transit authority cope with far bigger fuel bill Friday, September 12, 2008 3:17 AM By Tim Doulin THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Heeding the state's call to help transit authorities, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission is allocating $2.1 million to COTA. In a roundabout way, the federal money will allow the Central Ohio Transit Authority to deal with rising fuel costs, which have almost tripled since 2004. COTA is expected to spend about $8.7 million on diesel fuel this year, up from about $3 million in 2004. Read more at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/09/12/copy/MORPCOTA.ART_ART_09-12-08_B1_IOBA6JJ.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
September 12, 200816 yr COTA eyes ColumbusChamber’s former home Business First of Columbus - by Brian R. Ball Friday, September 12, 2008 The Central Ohio Transit Authority has its eyes on the former ColumbusChamber offices on High Street for the bus system’s administrative center. COTA has signed an agreement giving it 60 days to inspect the 27,240-square-foot building at 37 N. High St. and conduct a feasibility study. The bus system’s interest in relocating its executive and administrative operations comes because COTA is pressed for space at its headquarters and bus garage on McKinley Avenue in Franklinton. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/09/15/story6.html
September 15, 200816 yr This would be an excellent move for COTA, as their management needs to be closer to the "hub" of their operations at Broad & High. At the very least, it gives them a much higher profile in the eyes of downtowners and decision-makers than where they were out on McKinley Avenue at the bus garage.
October 3, 200816 yr COTA ridership rolling higher Friday, October 3, 2008 3:15 AM Bus ridership continues to thrive because of high gas prices. The Central Ohio Transit Authority said the average weekday ridership on its fixed-route bus lines was 61,074 for the week ending Sept. 28, the highest such number since the first week of December 2001. Total ridership on fixed-route buses last week was 347,000, up about 15.6 percent from the same week in 2007. Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/10/03/COTARIDES.ART0_ART_10-03-08_B3_GBBGH9D.html?sid=101
October 24, 200816 yr COTA to Acquire Downtown Property for Administrative Offices Thursday, October 23, 2008 COTA Press Release The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has entered into an agreement to purchase an office building at 33 N. High Street in downtown Columbus. The purchase, which is contingent on the approval of the COTA Board of Trustees and completion of due diligence and analysis, will enable the Authority to relocate administrative and sales functions along with itsdowntown bus operator reporting station into a single, ADA accessible, COTA-owned facility. “The opportunity to acquire the 33 N. High building provides COTA with a presence near Broad and High streets where much of our service operates, permits our employees to utilize the service we provide to the community and offers us greater visibility and convenience to our customers and the community,” said Bill Lhota, President/CEO. In 2006, COTA announced its intention to relocate administrative operations from overcrowded space at its McKinley Avenue fixed-route bus and maintenance facility to a strategic location in the central business district. About 100 COTA employees will work in the building which has about 72,000 square feet and several long-term tenants. “Our new location will also permit COTA to hold Board meetings and other public meetings in our own building with convenient access to public transportation,” Lhota said. COTA would like to commence operations at 33 N. High Street by the 3 rd quarter of 2009.
October 25, 200816 yr COTA plan put into overdrive Bus system buying HQ, expanding Fields campus Business First of Columbus - by Adrian Burns Friday, October 24, 2008 The Central Ohio Transit Authority is putting its multimillion-dollar facilities expansion into high gear. The operator of the regional bus system has agreed to buy the building at 33 N. High St. downtown, where it plans to set up its administrative offices next year. The move is part of a reorganization of operations expected to wrap up by the end of 2010 and cost upwards of $45 million. The plan, which has been in development since 2006, will include renovating and expanding the bus garage at COTA’s Fields Avenue campus, which has expanded to nearly 23 acres through a series of land acquisitions in recent months. The moves represent a huge step for COTA, which had run years of budget deficits before finding firmer financial footing, renewed public confidence and additional funding under CEO Bill Lhota, who took over in 2004 in the wake of an ethics scandal involving former chief Ron Barnes. Read more at http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/10/27/story1.html
October 25, 200816 yr Very interesting about COTA buying the downtown property. In an earlier article they were looking at the old Chamber of Commerce building at 37 N. High Street. COTA ended up buying the building next door at 33 N. High Street! Here a picture of the 9-story building at 33 N. High Street. The three-story Chamber building is just to the right.
October 25, 200816 yr Much better building. Even if they don't use all of it, they can lease out space and make some revenue as well as have a high-profile headquarters. A big city transit authority ought to have a high-visibility location in the heart of the city it serves.
November 13, 200816 yr COTA, union working on new 3-year pact Wednesday, November 12, 2008 8:21 PM By Debbie Gebolys THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH COTA's contract with more than 500 bus drivers and mechanics expires Nov. 30, and labor-management talks are under way. The Central Ohio Transit Authority and Transport Workers Union of America Local 208 are negotiating a three-year deal for wages, benefits and work conditions. Negotiators agreed not to disclose any key issues in contract talks, adding that it would not be unusual for talks to continue past the contract deadline without interrupting bus service. COTA employs 400 drivers and 110 vehicle-maintenance workers. Read more at http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/11/12/cota_talks.html?sid=101
November 22, 200816 yr COTA's downtown move got reported earlier by Business First. But the Dispatch just published their article this week. A little more detail. What's really great though is COTA President Bill Lhota has to say about COTA employees, including himself, actually riding COTA buses to their new workplace. COTA moving offices Downtown Workers encouraged to take the bus to, from work Thursday, November 20, 2008 - 3:31 AM By Debbie Gebolys, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH COTA's administrative offices will return Downtown next year, from a crowded facility to one that is steps away from the "heart" of the bus system. However, the new digs for more than 100 employees at 33 N. High St. come sans free parking. Bill Lhota, president of the Central Ohio Transit Authority, said the agency won't pay for parking because he wants all employees, including himself, to take the bus to work. "I feel very strongly that our people should ride the bus to work," Lhota told the board at its meeting yesterday. "It's a very, very good way to get to know the system." Read more at http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/11/20/COTAMove.ART_ART_11-20-08_B1_SVBUP84.html?sid=101
December 2, 200816 yr Bus system planning to expand routes, stops COTA to add first Park & Ride lots since 2003 Tuesday, December 2, 2008 6:27 AM By Debbie Gebolys THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH As COTA gains riders, the bus system plans to add two Park & Ride locations next month and expand service in several areas. The Central Ohio Transit Authority will make changes to 28 routes on Jan. 5. In nearly all cases, service is expanding. The last time COTA added a Park & Ride was in 2003, shortly after the system began facing financial troubles that led to several years of route cuts. Now, the system is gaining riders and sales tax revenue. Read more at http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/12/02/copy/COTArts.ART_ART_12-02-08_A1_N6C3OF4.html?adsec=politics&sid=101
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