List of COTA routes and services

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

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

List of routes
Line type Days Minimum service frequency No. of routes
Standard line Mon–Sun Every 15–30 minutes 17
Frequent line Mon–Sun Every 15 minutes or better 10
Rush hour line (express) Mon–Fri Varies, rush hour times only 14
Source:[1]

Routes 1–12: through downtown

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

No. and designation Frequency Destinations Area Ref.
1 Kenny/Livingston Frequent NB/WB To Pickforde Dr & Bethel Rd SB/EB To Reynoldsburg Park & Ride
Map: Route 1 Kenny/Livingston
 [5]
2 E Main/N High Frequent NB/WB To N High St & Fenway Rd SB/EB To Hanson St & E Main St
Map: Route 2 E Main/N High
 [6][7]
3 Northwest/Harrisburg Standard NB To Tremont Rd & Langham Rd SB To Parkway Centre
Map: Route 3 Northwest/Harrisburg
 [8]
4 Indianola/Lockbourne Standard NB To Boardwalk St & Shapter Ave SB To Thimbleberry Rd & Alum Creek Dr
Map: Route 4 Indianola/Lockbourne
 [9]
5 W 5th Ave/Refugee Frequent NB/WB To Renner Rd Park & Ride /
Hollywood Casino		 SB/EB To Gender Road Towne Centre
Map: Route 5 W 5th Ave/Refugee
 [10]
6 Cleveland/Sullivant Standard NB/EB To Northland Transit Center SB/WB To Hollywood Casino
Map: Route 6 Cleveland/Sullivant
 [11]
7 Mt Vernon Frequent NB/EB To Int'l Gateway & Sawyer Rd /
Easton Transit Center		 SB/WB To E Mound St & S 4th St
Map: Route 7 Mt Vernon
 [12]
8 Karl/S High/Parsons Frequent NB To Boardwalk St & Shapter Ave SB To Great Southern Park & Ride
Map: Route 8 Karl/S High/Parsons
 [13]
9 W Mound/Brentnell Standard NB/EB To Easton Transit Center SB/WB To Westwoods Park & Ride
Map: Route 9 W Mound/Brentnell
 [14][7]
10 E Broad/W Broad Frequent WB To Westwoods Park & Ride EB To Limited Brands
[15]
11 Bryden/Maize Standard NB/WB To N High St & Fenway Rd SB/EB To Frebis Ave & Alum Creek Dr
Map: Route 11 Bryden/Maize
 [16]
12 McKinley/Fields Standard WB To McKinley Ave Garage EB To Fields Ave Garage
Map: Route 12 McKinley/Fields
 [17]

Routes 21–25: north–south

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

No. and designation Frequency Destinations Area Ref.
21 Hilliard Rome Standard NB To Pickforde Dr & Bethel Rd SB To Hollywood Casino
Map: Route 21 Hilliard Rome
 [18]
22 OSU/Rickenbacker Standard NB/WB To Grandview Yard SB/EB To London-Groveport & Alum Creek Dr
Map: Route 22 OSU/Rickenbacker
 [19]
23 James/Stelzer Frequent NB To Easton Transit Center SB To Eastland Mall
Map: Route 23 James/Stelzer
 [20]
24 Hamilton Rd Standard NB To Easton Transit Center SB To Eastland Mall
Map: Route 24 Hamilton Rd
 [21][22]
25 Brice Standard NB To Easton Transit Center SB To Canal Winchester Park & Ride
Map: Route 25 Brice
 [23]

Routes 31–35: west–east

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

No. and designation Frequency Destinations Area Ref.
31 Hudson Standard WB/SB To Grandview Yard EB/NB To Easton Transit Center
Map: Route 31 Hudson
 [24]
32 N Broadway Standard WB To Heritage Club Dr & Main St EB To Easton Transit Center
Map: Route 32 N Broadway
 [25]
33 Henderson Standard WB To 565 Metro Place EB To N High St & W Kanawha Ave
Map: Route 33 Henderson
 [26][22]
34 Morse Frequent WB To N High St & Fenway Rd EB To Easton Transit Center
Map: Route 34 Morse
 [27]
35 Dublin-Granville Standard WB To Boardwalk St & Shapter Ave SB To Easton Transit Center
Map: Route 35 Dublin-Granville
 [28]

Routes 41–52: east Columbus

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

No. and designation Frequency Destinations Area Ref.
41 Crosswoods/Polaris Rush hour NB To Crosswoods Park & Ride SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 41 Crosswoods/Polaris
 [29][30]
42 Sharon Woods Rush hour NB To Sharon Woods & Skywae Dr SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 42 Sharon Woods
 [31][30]
43 Westerville Rush hour NB To Westerville Park & Ride SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 43 Westerville
 [32][30]
44 Easton Rush hour NB/EB To Easton Transit Center SB/WB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 44 Easton
 [33][30]
45 New Albany Rush hour NB/EB To New Albany Park & Ride SB/WB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 45 New Albany
 [34][30]
46 Gahanna Rush hour NB/EB To Gahanna Park & Ride SB/WB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 46 Gahanna
 [35][30]
51 Reynoldsburg Rush hour WB To Spring Street Terminal EB To Reynoldburg Park & Ride
Map: Route 51 Reynoldsburg
 [36][30]
52 Canal Winchester Rush hour NB/WB To Spring Street Terminal SB/EB To Canal Winchester Park & Ride
Map: Route 52 Canal Winchester
 [37][30]

Routes 61–75: west Columbus

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

No. and designation Frequency Destinations Area Ref.
61 Grove City Rush hour NB To Spring Street Terminal SB To Grove City Park & Ride
Map: Route 61 Grove City
 [38][30]
71 Hilliard Rush hour NB/WB To Hilliard Park & Ride SB/EB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 71 Hilliard
 [39][30]
72 Tuttle Rush hour NB To 5139 Park Center Ave SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 72 Tuttle
 [40][30]
73 Dublin Rush hour NB To Dublin Park & Ride SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 73 Dublin
 [41][30]
74 Smoky Row Rush hour NB To Sawmill Rd & Hard Rd SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 74 Smoky Row
 [42][30]
75 Arlington/1st Ave Rush hour NB To Nottingham & Riverside Dr SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: Route 75 Arlington/1st Ave
 [43][30]

Other routes
Designation Service type Frequency Destinations Area Ref.
CMAX BRT line Frequent NB To Polaris Pkwy & Africa Rd SB To E Mound St & S 4th St
Map: CMAX
 [44]
102 Polaris Pkwy/N High Limited-stop Standard NB To Meijer & Polaris Woods SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: 102 Polaris Pkwy/N High
 [45]
Night Owl Late-night Standard NB To N High St & Blenheim Rd SB To W Broad St & N High St
Map: Night Owl
 [46][47]
COTA AirConnect Airport bus Standard NB To CMH Airport SB To COTA Transit Terminal
Map: AirConnect
 [48][49]
Other fixed-route services: SmartRide New Albany Blue, Red, Green shuttles;[50] GREAT Blue, Red, Green shuttles[51]

Services

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

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

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

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

History

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

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

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

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

References
  1. "Our Fares". Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  2. "Frequently Asked Questions". Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  3. https://www.cota.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/COTA-zmap-sep-2019.pdf
  4. "Long Range Transit Plan" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. 2016. p. 44. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  5. "1 Kenny/Livingston" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  6. "2 E Main/N High" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  7. "UPDATED: COTA to Increase Frequency on 3 Lines, NightOwl to Stay". Columbus Underground. February 4, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  8. "3 Northwest/Harrisburg" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  9. "4 Indianola/Lockbourne" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  10. "5 W 5th Ave/Refugee" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  11. "6 Cleveland/Sullivant" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  12. "7 Mt Vernon" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  13. "8 Karl/S High/Parsons" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  14. "9 W Mound/Brentnell" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  15. "10 E Broad/W Broad" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  16. "11 Bryden/Maize" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  17. "12 McKinley/Fields" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  18. "21 Hilliard Rome" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  19. "22 OSU/Rickenbacker" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  20. "23 James-Stelzer" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  21. "24 Hamilton Rd" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  22. "COTA to realign bus routes". Columbus Messenger. April 20, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  23. "25 Brice" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  24. "31 Hudson" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  25. "32 N Broadway" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  26. "33 Henderson" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  27. "34 Morse" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  28. "35 Dublin-Granville" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  29. "41 Crosswoods/Polaris" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  30. Ferenchik, Mark (April 14, 2021). "OH: COTA to restore 90% of pre-pandemic service on May 3, including all express lines". The Columbus Dispatch.
  31. "42 Sharon Woods" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  32. "43 Westerville" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  33. "44 Easton" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  34. "45 New Albany" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  35. "46 Gahanna" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  36. "51 Reynoldsburg" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  37. "52 Canal Winchester" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  38. "61 Grove City" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  39. "71 Hilliard" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  40. "72 Tuttle" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  41. "73 Dublin" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  42. "74 Smoky Row" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  43. "75 Arlington/1st Ave" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  44. "CMAX" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  45. "102 Polaris Pkwy/N High" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  46. "Night Owl" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  47. Ferenchik, Mark (February 5, 2020). "COTA keeping Night Owl bus service". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  48. "COTA AirConnect" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  49. "COTA no longer provides direct service to airport". The Lantern. November 26, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  50. "SmartRide New Albany" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  51. "GREAT: Groveport Rickenbacker Employee Access Transit" (PDF). Central Ohio Transit Authority. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  52. "COTA Plus – COTA".
  53. "2019 Annual Report". Central Ohio Transit Authority. 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  54. "Zoo Bus". Central Ohio Transit Authority. Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  55. "BUSES, CAR POOLS SEE SURGE - Record-high gas prices likely caused sudden rise in ridership, official says". The Columbus Dispatch. May 15, 2004.
  56. Warren, Brett (May 5, 2014). "Free CBUS Downtown Circulator Launches". Columbus Underground. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  57. Ferenchik, Mark (May 31, 2018). "AirConnect ridership low, but COTA officials confident it will increase". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  58. "Transit System Redesign". Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  59. Schmitt, Angie (August 14, 2018). "The Columbus Bus Network Redesign Boosted Ridership". Streetsblog USA. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  60. "New COTA bus line promises faster service across town". WBNS-10TV. January 1, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  61. Weyrich, Lydia (November 25, 2019). "COTA No Longer Provides Direct Service to Airport". The Lantern. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  62. "COTA Restores Express Routes For Commuters". WOSU News. May 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
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