Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

You can track your COTA bus in real time using our Trip Planner tool at COTA.com. Enter your location and destination to see the nearest buses and live arrival times. You can also use third-party apps such as Google Maps, Apple Maps and the Transit app. For scheduled times, visit the Maps & Schedules tab on our Trip Planner or call Customer Service at 614-228-1776.

Use the “Find Bus Stops” feature in our Trip Planner at COTA.com to locate bus stops near you. On the Transit app, you can share your location to identify routes and bus stops near you. You can also look for official COTA bus stop signs along major streets in Columbus and Central Ohio.

Yes. COTA’s top priority is passenger and Operator safety. All buses are equipped with security cameras and are cleaned using sanitizing methods that exceed industry standards. For more information, visit our Safety & Security page.

COTA adjusts service three times per year on the first Monday of January, May and September. Information about service changes can be found on our Service Change page, by attending a public meeting or following COTA on social media. Daily service alerts and notices for service changes can be found on the Transit app and at COTA.com. For temporary stop- or line-specific alerts, notices will be available on COTA.com, the Transit app or Commuter Bulletins posted at bus stops.

Yes. Fold strollers and shopping carts to keep aisles clear for safety. See the COTA Codes and Policies page for full details.

Beverages are allowed only in hard-sided cups with fixed lids. Coolers and groceries may be brought on board as long as they are secure and do not block the aisle.

If you think you left something on a COTA fixed-route bus or COTA//Plus vehicle, please call us at 614-308-4378 right away. We will do our very best to find your lost item quickly. If found, you can retrieve your lost item at our McKinley facility located at 1600 McKinley Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43222, open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If your item was lost on a COTA Mainstream vehicle, please call Mobility Services at 614-275-5828. If found on a COTA Mainstream vehicle, you can retrieve it at our Mobility Services facility located at 1330 Fields Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43201, open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Yes. All fixed-route buses have front racks that hold up to two bicycles. Learn how to load and unload your bike on our Bike and Ride page. Electric scooters and other shared mobility devices, such as Veo and Spin, are not permitted on buses or on the bike racks.

Service changes are adjustments to bus routes and schedules that happen three times a year on the first Monday of January, May and September. Visit our Service Improvements page for details on new initiatives and existing improvements. For information about proposed service changes and public meetings, visit our Service Changes page.

BRT is a bus system with limited stops, faster travel times and special features for high-capacity routes. COTA operates CMAX, a BRT service along Cleveland Avenue. Thanks to community support for the LinkUS initiative, COTA will introduce additional BRT lines along West Broad Street, East Main Street and within a Northwest corridor. To learn more about BRT and our plans for the future, visit the LinkUS website.

Seats at the front of each bus are reserved for seniors and passengers with disabilities. Please reserve these seats and offer when needed or if requested by the Operator.

COTA’s Educational Pass Program gives eligible students access to unlimited rides at no cost to students or their families. With your Student Success Card, school-issued COTA Smartcard, BuckID or university ID card you can move how and when you want to. If you are a school or university administrator and would like information about this program or to enroll your students, contact Aslyne Rodriguez, Senior Director of Regional Strategic Partnerships.

For standard, frequent and rush hour trips, the fare is $2 and $1 for children ages 5–12 and qualified reduced fare customers like seniors, Veterans, persons with disabilities and more. For more on fares and the reduced fare program, visit our Fares and Passes page.

Fares vary depending on the passenger and the type of COTA service. For the full list of pass options, visit our Fares and Passes page. Options of passes for fixed-route buses, COTA Mainstream and COTA//Plus include:

• Two-Hour Pass
• Day Pass
• 31-Day Pass
• Single Mainstream Pass
• Monthly Mainstream Pass
• COTA//Plus Day Pass
• COTA//Plus Weekly Pass

Ask your bus Operator for transfers when you board the bus. Customers who purchase a two-hour bus pass can transfer to another bus line of the same type or same line in the same direction without charge. Transfers are valid for two hours from the time of issue. Transfers between bus types, such as from a Standard or Frequent route to a Rush Hour route, are subject to an additional $0.75 fee.

You can purchase a physical pass at the COTA Customer Experience Center (33 N. High St.) or one of our ticket vending machines. For digital options, customers can download the Transit app to plan, track and pay for COTA rides.

You can also now buy and save COTA passes directly in Google Wallet! Select “Buy Ticket” from Google Maps and follow the steps to purchase Day Passes using a credit card or Google Pay. Once complete, passes are automatically saved to your Google Wallet for quick access.

When the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Wilmington issues a heat or cold advisory or warning, COTA waives fares for the rest of that day. Free rides will be available on COTA’s fixed-route bus service, Mainstream and COTA//Plus, with announcements provided through Rider and Service Alerts.

Reduced fares are available for eligible customers through the Reduced Fare Program, providing eligible customers with half-price fares. This program is available to select groups, ensuring more people can reach their destinations. Eligible individuals include:

• Veterans
• Medicare cardholders
• Individuals with disabilities
• Individuals 65 years and older
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients
• Individuals enrolled in eligible public assistance programs

Learn more about discounted fares, including eligibility and how to apply, by visiting our Reduced Fare Program page.

Yes. Si. Oui. Ja. This site translates all of the information into multiple languages. Simply choose the Google Translate icon on the main menu and select your language. Rider guides in Spanish, Somali, and Nepali are available on the Title VI page.

Yes. Fixed-route buses have the ability to lower to the curb to make boarding easier, and ramps extend to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Stops are announced and displayed on-board fixed-route buses, so you know the next bus stop. Paratransit service is scheduled, so you always know where you are going. Visit the Accessibility page for customers with disabilities for more information.

Yes. Service animals are welcome on both fixed-route and paratransit vehicles. One Personal Care Attendant (PCA) boards free on fixed-route buses with a valid COTA ID card. The PCA box must be marked “YES” on the COTA ID for the PCA free ride. Visit our Accessibility page for information on how to obtain the COTA ID card.

COTA Mainstream paratransit service provides origin-to-destination rides for people whose functional limitations prevent them from riding COTA’s fixed-route vehicles. Eligible riders can choose from two Mainstream options:

• COTA Mainstream: a shared-ride, origin-to-destination trip
• Mainstream On-Demand (Powered by UZURV): a private, same-day, nonstop, door-to-door service

Yes. Qualified individuals receive reduced fares. See the Fares and Passes page for eligibility details.

COTA hires qualified candidates as bus Operators, mechanics, coach cleaners, customer service representatives, transportation services supervisors, administrative staff (clerical, accounting, human resources, information technology, operations, planning, procurement) and for management positions. View our Careers page to learn more about how to join Team COTA.

View and apply for open positions on our Careers page.

Yes. COTA is an Equal Opportunity employer.

For items lost on COTA fixed-route and COTA//Plus vehicles, call 614-308-4378. For items lost on COTA Mainstream vehicles, call Mobility Services at 614-275-5828.

View our Park and Ride brochure for the current locations of all Park and Rides.

Transit Centers are hubs where multiple COTA routes connect:

• Easton – 4260 Stelzer Rd.
• Linden – Cleveland Ave. & 11th Ave.
• Northland – 5495 Cleveland Ave.
• North Terminal – 33 W. Spring St.
• South Terminal – 1125 E. Main St.

Over 350 shelters and 3,000 bus stops.

33 N. High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

Thanks to community support for the LinkUS initiative, COTA will improve existing infrastructure to move more people faster and safer. From service increases to constructing Bus Rapid Transit, we’re investing in transit that gets people to their destinations affordably and efficiently. Learn more about our transformative transportation and infrastructure initiative on the LinkUS website.

You can share feedback or submit requests through our contact form or by calling COTA Customer Care at 614-228-1776. Feedback for proposed service improvements can be made through the same systems or by attending a public meeting at 33 N. High St. or online via Facebook Live held throughout the year. For a list of upcoming public meetings, visit our Service Changes page.

To register to do business with COTA, please visit the Vendors page to create an account or log in to view solicitations. Learn more about opportunities by visiting our Procurement page.

All opportunities are available through our Vendors page.

COTA uses the term Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) to encompass all companies that are Encouraging Diversity, Growth and Equity (EDGE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and DBE certified by recognized agencies. In accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation DBE regulations, it is COTA’s policy to utilize ready, willing and able disadvantaged and small businesses and to use the best efforts possible to level the playing field in the marketplace by ensuring these firms have the opportunity to participate in the procurement process. Please visit the DBE Program page for more information.

A NAICS code, or North American Industry Classification System code, is a six-digit number used to classify businesses by industry. Federal agencies use these codes to collect and analyze economic data. Search for your code at naics.com.

Email purchasing@cota.com with your company info and the solicitation name.