50 Years of Moving Every Life Forward

Rolling Since1974

For five decades, Team COTA has dedicated their lives to providing public transportation excellence across Central Ohio. It is our greatest pleasure to continue to support this community and keep every life moving forward.

We invite you to come along as we journey through COTA over the past 50 years — and to see where the road ahead will take us next.

The History
of COTA

Five Decades of Excellence

1970

1974 – Our journey begins with the purchase of CTC bus service for $4.8 million.

1976 – Our first executive director and general manager is hired. Under James E. Reading, COTA installs 50 new shelters.

1978 – The first iteration of the Zoo Bus begins as does Project Mainstream, which serves customers with disabilities.

1980

1980 – McKinley Operations Center opens. Red, White & BOOM! service also begins.

1981 – COTA’s first Flex Bus, a larger capacity vehicle, hits the streets.

1984 – Fields Avenue Facility is built. The first COTA Radio Room is constructed here, allowing every vehicle to be equipped with radio.

1987 – Operator Ed Roberts wins the International Bus Roadeo. He makes history as the first and only Operator to do so.

1990

1991 – Lift-equipped vehicles join the fleet.

1992 – COTA introduces the Day Pass, giving customers access to unlimited daily trips.

1997 – The COTA x OSU partnership begins, allowing students to use their student IDs to ride.

1998 – COTA’s first permanent funding begins. Franklin County voters pass a .25% sales tax and COTA builds its first Transit Center in Linden.

2000

2000 – Customer Care gets an automated phone system, improving our ability to support customers.

2002 – GPS is added to all vehicles.

2004 – COTA launches Bike & Bus service.

2006 – COTA’s Board of Trustees approves the Long Range Transit Plan.

2008 – COTA begins to service Dublin.

2010

2010 – Hybrid vehicles are introduced and admin offices move to the LEED-certified William J. Lhota Building at 33 N. High St. where they are located today.

2011 – COTA leads the nation in growing ridership by nearly 10.2 percent over 2010, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

2012 – COTA receives the Gold Standard Award for Excellence in Security from the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

2013 – Bus Rapid Transit development begins and COTA opens Ohio’s largest CNG fueling station and begins using 30 new CNG-fueled vehicles as we begin a transition to an environmentally friendly fleet.

2016 – Onboard Wi-Fi is introduced.

2017 – The Transit System Redesign (TSR) is launched, a collaborative effort between COTA, public stakeholders and the Board of Trustees to develop a stronger bus network.

2018 – Joanna M. Pinkerton joins COTA as President/CEO and C-pass is introduced, giving eligible downtown workers and residents no-cost COTA access.

2018 – CMAX rapid transit is introduced and COTA is named Outstanding Public Transportation System by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

2019 – Mainstream On-Demand launches, providing origin-to-destination transportation for people whose functional limitations prevent them from riding fixed-route services.

2019 – Customers can pay without cash for the first time through COTA Connector.

2019 – COTA//Plus is introduced, a ride-hailing service.

2019 – A new, interactive Customer Experience Center opens downtown.


2020

2020 – COTA earns the Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award for the second time in three years.

2021 – The first electric vehicles are added to the fleet.

2023 – COTA breaks ground on the Mobility Center at Rickenbacker.

Read Even More History Here

Moving & Grooving for 50 Years

Listen to our playlist covering the most “moving” hits from our 50 years of service.


Listen Now On Spotify

COTA Vehicles

Designed to Move You for Half a Century

<
>

1975

Going & Growing

Sustainably

At COTA, we have always believed that public transportation is a “green” industry. Over the years, we have strived to operate as sustainably as possible by…

Moving to digital payments, helping reduce paper waste

Creating facilities with the environment in mind — six of our facilities are LEED certified

Stocking our fleet with CNG and electric vehicles, completely eliminating diesel by 2025

Recycling literal tons of cardboard, scrap metal and water

…and by encouraging Central Ohio to move together, because when we do, we move greener.

Over the next 50 years, we have big plans for sustainability. Come along for the ride as we reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

Learn More About Our Sustainability Commitment.

Visit 50 Places on the Line

to Celebrate

Museums & Galleries
Community Spaces & Events
  1. Zoom to BOOM! | July 3, 2024

    Service to and from dedicated Park and Ride locations. Check COTA.com/boom for more information.

  2. Columbus Metropolitan Library Main Branch

    Lines 10 & 11
    Ohioana Book Festival | April 20, 2024
    Columbus Book Festival | July 13-14, 2024

  3. Greater Columbus Convention Center

    Lines 1, 2, 5, 9 & CMAX
    Arnold Sports Festival | Feb. 29-March 3, 2024

  4. Ohio Statehouse

    Lines 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6

  5. Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

    Take the Zoo Bus May-September. Check COTA.com/zoobus for more information.

  6. Ohio Black Expo at the Riverfront Culture Fest

    May 23-26, 2024
    Lines 1, 2, 3, 6 & 8

  7. Columbus Arts Festival

    June 7-9, 2024
    Lines 4, 6, 7, 8, 11 & 12

  8. Stonewall Columbus Pride

    June 15, 2024
    Lines 2 & 5

  9. Jazz & Rib Fest

    July 19-21, 2024
    Lines 102, 2, 4, 7, 9, 11 & CMAX

Shopping
  1. Pearl Market

    Lines 102, 2, 10 & CMAX

  2. Easton Town Center

    Lines 7, 9, 23, 31 & 34

  3. The Book Loft

    Lines 5 & 8

  4. The Brass Hand

    Lines 102, 2 & 32

  5. Polaris Fashion Place

    Line 102

  6. Dublin Market at Bridge Park

    Lines 33 & 73

Live Performances
  1. Ohio Theatre

    Lines 102, 1, 2, 5 & CMAX

  2. Short North Stage at the Garden Theatre

    Lines 102, 2 & 5

  3. Shadowbox Live

    Lines 5, 8 & 51

  4. Palace Theatre

    Lines 2, 4, 10, 11, 12 & CMAX

  5. Hilliard Civic and Cultural Events Center

    Lines 21 & 32

Parks
  1. Schiller Park

    Line 5

  2. Whetstone Park of Roses

    Line 2

  3. Topiary Park

    Line 11

  4. Inniswood Metro Gardens

    Access via COTA//Plus Westerville

  5. Indian Run Falls Park

    Line 33

Dining
  1. Bonifacio

    Lines 5 & 31

  2. Cumin & Curry

    Lines 34 & 35

  3. NE Chinese Restaurant

    Lines 102, 2 & 31

  4. Bottoms Up Coffee

    Line 10

  5. Creole Kitchen

    Line 7

  6. The Parable Coffee Shop

    Lines 102, 1, 2, 5 & CMAX

  7. Marlow’s Cheesesteaks

    Line 25

  8. Ena’s Caribbean Kitchen

    Lines 11, 31 & CMAX

  9. Beyond the Brix

    Line 2

  10. The North Market

    Lines 1, 2, 5, 72, 74 & 75

  11. Starliner Diner

    Lines 21 & 32