CENTRAL OHIO TRANSIT AUTHORITY

:''COTA can also refer to:''
:''the Council on the Ageing in Australia''
:''a certified occupational therapy assistant.''
The 'Central Ohio Transit Authority' (COTA) is a public sector transit agency serving Franklin County and the rest of the central Ohio area, which includes Columbus, as well as Bexley, Gahanna, Grandview Heights, Grove City, Hilliard, Reynoldsburg, Upper Arlington, Westerville, Whitehall, and Worthington. COTA History Currently, COTA only manages bus service, though light-rail or streetcar service has been discussed several times in recent years.
COTA's administrative offices, as well as its bus garages are located in downtown Columbus. It is managed by CEO Bill Lhota, as well as a 13-member board of trustees. COTA is funded by a permanent 0.25% sales tax as well as another 10-year, 0.25% sales tax which goes into effect January 1, 2008.^[1]

Contents

History

Service

Light Rail Study

Biodiesel Project

Long-Range Transit Plan

Additional Information

See also

External links

References

History

Prior to COTA, the bus service in the area was managed by the Columbus Transist Company (CTC). In 1971 the CTC was in the midst of budget problems, so in order to maintain bus service in the area, the local governments of central Ohio created COTA. COTA acquired the assets from the CTC On January 1, 1974 and began operations the same day.

Service

COTA provides approximately 50,000 weekday rides per year via 234 buses along 53 daily routes. In total, COTA serves 562 square miles of central Ohio with over 4,000 bus stops, 380 bus shelters, and 26 park-and-ride facilities. In 2005, these numbers culminated in 9.7 million miles traveled and 14.6 million riders.^[2]

Light Rail Study

COTA has studied the feasibility of constructing a light rail line, a streetcar line, or a bus rapid transit line several times in recent years, but has failed to secure funding for any system beyond the current bus service. COTA's most recent attempt, FastTrax/North Corridor, was permanently tabled in the summer of 2006. Columbus did not meet current federal feasibility regulations, and did not receive federal funding, which was expected to cover over half the cost. No light rail lines are expected to be built in the near future, though the city of Columbus is still considering a streetcar system in downtown Columbus.^[3]

Biodiesel Project

On January 15, 2006, the Central Ohio Transit Authority began a program to test a 20% blend of biodiesel (B20) in it's buses. Throughout the test period they used approximately 45,000 gallons of B20, ending in mid-March, 2006.
In April 2006 COTA began using biodiesel fleet-wide. In addition to using B20 in the winter months, COTA has committed to using 50-90% biodiesel blends (B50 - B90) during the summer months. This is projected to decrease regular diesel fuel consumption by over one million gallons per year. This switch also will create a significant reduction in emissions of carbon monoxide, soot, and other greenhouse gas emissions. COTA is one of the first transit fleets to switch to biodiesel blends across the board.^[4]

Long-Range Transit Plan

The Long-Range Transit Plan developed by the Central Ohio Transit Authority is a long-term strategy for creating a better bus service for central Ohio. It focuses on improving existing facilities and increasing service throughout the region. Specifically, the plan is focused on expanding fixed-route bus service, increasing paratransit service, introducing more user-friendly and convenient technologies, and planning for future transit investments including transit centers, park and rides, and acquiring rights of way in strategic regions. The plan was approved by the COTA board of trustees on August 23, 2006.^[5]

Additional Information

See also

★ GCRTA, serving Cleveland, Ohio

★ Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority, serving Dayton, Ohio

★ Ohio Department of Transportation

★ SORTA, serving Cincinnati, Ohio

External links

★ COTA Website

★ COTA North Corridor Transit Project

★ ODOT Official Website

References

1. A cleaned up COTA deserving of tax assist
2. COTA Facts and Figures
3. COTA North Corridor Transit Project official website
4. COTA’s Bold Move to Biodiesel Deserving of National Recognition
5. Long-Range Transit Plan