Mainstream and Mainstream On-Demand

Accessible Paratransit Solutions for Central Ohio

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Accessible Transportation That Picks You Up

COTA Mainstream offers 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:

  • Mainstream – Reserve your shared-ride trip through the COTA Reservations Department phone line or the web booking system.
  • Mainstream On-Demand (Powered by UZURV) – Call the UZURV Call Center at 614-344-4488 to reserve private, accessible, same-day, nonstop, door-to-door service.
COTA Mainstream Service

COTA Mainstream Requirements:

  • Complete an application
  • Attend an interview assessment
  • Meet eligibility criteria for the service

Fare for COTA Mainstream is:

  • ADA trips: $3.50 per one-way
  • Non-ADA trips: Varies based on trip mileage (minimum fare $5)
  • Students: Fare-free with BuckID, Educational Pass or Student Summer Pass

*Mainstream customers ride fixed-route service for free

Acceptable payments for COTA ADA Mainstream:

  • Cash (exact change)
  • COTA Mainstream ticket ($3.50 per ticket)
  • COTA Mainstream Monthly Pass ($105.00 per month)

COTA Mainstream Tickets and Monthly Passes:

  • Purchase at COTA’s Mobility Services Facility, 1330 Fields Ave., or call 614-308-4355.

Mobility Pass Sales Hours:

  • Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.

Mobility Pass Sales is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and the following day and Christmas Day.

How to Schedule a COTA Mainstream Trip

Reservation Hours:

  • Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.
Mainstream On-Demand (Powered by UZURV)

What You Can Do With UZURV:

  • Reserve Non-ADA trips up to 30 days in advance
  • Request your favorite Operator
  • Bring guests (space permitting), a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) or a service animal

Fare for Mainstream On-Demand:

The fare depends on trip mileage, which is calculated during booking. The minimum fare is $5. Payment is accepted only by credit or debit card. Download Fare Details.

How to Schedule Mainstream On-Demand Trips:

Call the UZURV Call Center at 614-344-4488 at least one hour in advance. You’ll need your Mainstream ADA ID client number for reservations and while riding the service.

Service Hours:

  • Monday–Friday: 5:30 a.m –10 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Call Center Hours:

  • Monday–Friday: 5:30 a.m –8 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.
Applying

Eligibility for Mainstream cannot be based on financial hardship. A person must be over eight (8) years of age to qualify. To apply, download and complete the Mobility Services Application ( Solicitud de Mainstream ), or call Mobility Services at 614-275-5833 to request the application be mailed, faxed or emailed.

Once you receive the application, complete part one. You must also have a specialist who oversees your current functional limitation(s) that prevent you from using fixed-route service to complete part two.

After completing the application, call our Mobility Coordinator at 614-275-5833 to schedule an appointment to submit your application and attend an interview/functional assessment. Both parts of the application must be completed within 90 days of scheduling the interview/functional assessment. If not, the application will be invalid, and you will need to complete both parts again.

All assessments are conducted at the COTA Mobility Services Facility located at: 1330 Fields Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43201.

When recertifying, an applicant may experience a lapse in service if they do not keep their assessment appointment or fail to complete the entire process by the expiration date.

Once you complete the process, the ADA Federal Law requires COTA to render a decision within 21 days. You will receive a status notification via U.S. mail.

Service

The ADA considers fixed-route vehicle service to be “the primary mode of public transportation for everyone, including people with disabilities.” Under the ADA, COTA Mainstream serves as a “safety net” for only those persons whose functional capacity, imposed by their disability, prevents them from riding COTA fixed-route vehicles. Disability alone does not qualify a person to use COTA Mainstream under the ADA.

The COTA Mainstream ADA service area is defined as being within ¾-mile distance of a fixed-route service line. Hours of operation for both the origin and destination locations are the same as the hours of operation for fixed-route service.

Any origin or destination location more than ¾ mile from a fixed-route service line, or trips made outside of the fixed-route hours of operation, are considered non-ADA.

Non-ADA service is provided upon space availability and is not a required service mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law in July 1990. Its goal is to remove physical barriers that have kept people with disabilities from fully participating in society.

Additional Details

For more information about COTA Mainstream, call the COTA Mobility Services Department at 614-275-5828 or email paratransit@COTA.com.

All qualified COTA Mainstream customers may also download the Accessible Services Guide for Paratransit Users to learn more about the rules and guidelines for using the service.

How to Get Mainstream Visitor Status

Columbus metropolitan area visitors who are unable to use the local COTA fixed-route service because of their disabilities can get Mainstream Visitor Status for 21 days in a rolling 365-day period. To apply for visitor status, have your current paratransit provider mail or email verification to our office.

Address:

1330 Fields Ave.
Columbus, OH 43201
Phone: 614-275-5833

Fax: 614-272-3018
Email: pullinstl@COTA.com

To help us process the request, the paratransit provider must provide the following information for the applicant:

  1. Full name
  2. Full address and phone number
  3. Paratransit ID number and expiration date
  4. Type of mobility aid used, if applicable
  5. Personal Care Attendant authorization status
  6. Service animal status

If the visitor does not have paratransit in their home area and the individual’s disability is not apparent, a certification of the disability by their healthcare provider is needed. We will also require the applicant to provide items 1, 2, 5 and 6 above. Once we receive the information, we will contact the applicant within one business day.