COTA and Columbus City Schools Renew Unlimited Transit Access for All CCS High School Students
Central Ohio Transit Authority’s (COTA) commitment to help transport students to the classroom continues as it once again partners with Columbus City Schools (CCS) to offer supplemental transit access for all CCS students in grades 9-12 for the 2024-25 school year.
This is the third year COTA and CCS have partnered to offer the Educational Pass Program, which provides unlimited access to COTA’s fixed-route transit lines, COTA Mainstream for qualifying students with special mobility needs, and COTA//Plus On-Demand service at no charge to students. Students can board COTA transit vehicles by using their school-issued Student Success Cards. More than 13,000 CCS students will have unlimited access to COTA services this school year.
“We are proud of this continued collaboration to ensure Columbus City high school students have more mobility options,” said COTA President/CEO Monica Téllez-Fowler. “By having unlimited access to COTA services, students have an additional safe and efficient way to get to class or after-school activities. It also helps students understand how public transportation is another way to access opportunities in our region, opening more doors to access higher education or entering the workforce after graduation.”
During the 2023-24 academic year, 6,863 CCS students utilized COTA’s fixed-route service, accounting for more than 397,896 trips. That is an 80% increase in ridership for the program and nearly doubling new student customers over the previous academic year.
“Some of our high school students don’t have the option to jump in a car and get to school, said Columbus City Schools Superintendent/CEO Dr. Angela Chapman. “These passes are critical to our high school students’ overall well-being. We have students that use these passes to go to and from work, to visit their grandparents, to pick up siblings, to stay involved in extra-curricular activities, and to buy groceries for their family!”
Additionally, CCS students have full access to COTA’s on-board complimentary Wi-Fi to complete homework, chat with friends online, or access the Read & Ride program with Columbus Metropolitan Libraries. COTA transit lines are also conveniently located close to nearly all Columbus Metropolitan Library locations.
COTA transit access will be available to CCS high school students using their Student Success Cards. All they have to do is tap their card on the validator when boarding a COTA bus. Passes are supplemental and do not replace the district’s yellow bus services provided to students who qualify for transportation to and from school.
All school systems and higher education institutions in COTA’s service area are eligible to participate in the Educational Pass Program, as authorized by the COTA Board of Trustees. For information on the Educational Pass Program, click here.
