COTA's Airport Transfer to Downtown Columbus Upon arriving at CMH to participate in pending litigation in the Common Pleas Court in Columbus, I was watching my budget. I'd booked a room at the Westin Great Southern Hotel at 310 S. High Street, Columbus, and my flight landed around noon. While I typically rent a car at the airport, for this trip I had only one destination and figured I could skip the expense by taking the bus that serves the airport. Turns out, that was a good call. Years past there had been an airport express bus, but that service ended a while ago. So, I checked what the fare was ($2 for a one-way trip; $4.50 for a day pass) and saw there was a kiosk located adjacent to the airport's taxi stand, just outside baggage claim. The machine wasn't functioning, but signage let me know I could use cash to purchase either pass when I board (although no change could be given so exact cash was needed - so either bring $2 in cash, or pay $5 for a $4.50 day pass). I paid $5 and received my day pass, so with that lesson learned I was all set. I should add that there are applications, websites, and variations that make it possible to get a reduced rate and to use your smartphone to pay bus fares. Given my limited two-day need of the service, I figured I could skip these features and plan on paying in cash, keeping it simple. There's some uncertainty about using the COTA trip planner when trying to figure out when and where the next bus would arrive. Using Google Maps wasn't a problem: it showed COTA's #7 bus would depart from the bus stop at the airport near the baggage claim every half hour. When I entered the same terms on COTA's website, the response charted a course where I would have to walk .7 miles from the airport to catch the #24 bus from Hamilton Road, and catch the #7 bus from N. Hamilton Rd. & Sawyer Road - that was simply not the case. I also am not clear about how we were treated when we boarded the #7 bus at CMH. We paid to board, then we traveled about one minute, got close to the McDonalds near the airport, and the bus pulled over and made us depart the bus. We then got on another #7 bus that was waiting at a bus stop, and the driver told us all to pay again. Since I had a day pass it didn't matter, but there were some visitors who were not all that familiar with Columbus or English, and they followed the direction and paid again for their trip into downtown Columbus. The bus then looped back to the #7 bus stop at CMH, picked up new customers, and we were on our way. The experience was both unexplained and a bit unsettling. The driver, however, was outstanding. For the fifty minutes it took to get to the Great Southern in the heart of downtown, our driver was courteous, a very skilled and careful operator, and answered all of our questions with patience and understanding. At no time during the trip was I concerned about our safety, and I was confident that we would arrive on time (and we did so). I am particularly grateful for the information our bus operator gave me as I left the bus on arrival at the Great Southern. Turns out the return bus stop was at Fourth and Mound, about three blocks from the bus stop that served the hotel for dropping off customers. By letting me know where the stop was, I was able to return the following day, now being fully familiar with the airport route. So, a $2 one-way pass (which is good in any direction for 2 hours if you ask for and receive a transfer when boarding) will get me safely and reasonably quickly from the airport to downtown Columbus. If I want to use the bus system for more than two hours, I'm happy to pony up $4.50 for a full day's service. That's a progressive approach to urban transportation. Thanks, COTA! read more

COTA - Public Transportation Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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COTA needs to stop cancelling bus routes and get the number 3 rolling on time. I have waited way longer for the number 3 than any other bus. If I didn't have to take them to and from work... I surely wouldn't. Worst public transit system ever. And voters were dumb enough to pass their levy? Doesn't seem like most of the voters actually take the bus. read more

Last bus from Columbus zoo just didn't show up, left us stranded. Sat here for over an hour in 92 degrees. Great way to finish a birthday trip to the zoo! read more

Cota is horrible you can not maintain a job riding cota . And when did it stop at 11 pm I just rode the bus last Sunday at 11:30 pm . Trash I have to get a car now read more

0 stars ive been at this bus stop for 20 mins and I have to go to work and it's making me late and the drivers drive slow .

As a visitor to Columbus, I was trying to figure out an affordable way to go to the zoo. Did I luck out. They have a designated bus just for the zoo. It has several times throughout the day to catch it. Drivers were super friendly. The ride is about 40 minutes and there is 3stops. Well worth the $4.00 round-trip. They also give you a discounted zoo coupon when you enter the bus. It took $30 off the admission at the zoo. By far the best deal in town! I highly recommend the zoo bus. I can't say enough good about my experience. read more

COTA - Public Transportation Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I ride the bus Monday through Friday to and from work. There are multiple buses every day that no show. There was a voting referendum that passed and COTA received more money. And the result was that service has significantly worsened. They had issues before this year but the issues are constant since January of this year. Many people are dependent on these buses to get to work and they don't seem to care. Where is all of the funding going? Public transportation that doesn't care about the public read more

Cota is never on time! The bus driver's are rude. So my bus was supposed to be at my stop by 2:40, this bus didn't get to my stop until 3 and his fat ass just leaning back sight seeing like he wasn't supposed to be here 20 minutes ago. And they always make me miss my next bus, cota needs to get it together or bring a new bus service in read more

You guys need to make the bus number 24 every 30 mins.. having to wait and hr while trying to get to work and from is ridiculous

some driver on the 2 has a staring problem because my outfit was all black im guessing ? i paid my fair and said hello and she cut her eyes at me which is why i thought to glance up at her on the ride in the first place. i sat in my seat and she would look at me in her mirror at every red light. i got off the bus and she kept staring at me while im trying to orient myself. i walked back to the bus and asked why she was looking at me and she said "is everything ok?" over and over instead of answering me. like if she wasn't staring she wouldve said she wasn't so this was like some weak gaslighting that didn't work. idk if they just realized footage doesnt get reviewed so they can be jerks to passengers but some operators are really terrible. read more

As an out of Towner that's rode various city busses, this place is absolutely different on how it's ran compared to other cities. I've never ridden a bus until recently. You don't simply pay for the fair and enjoy your trip, you basically get to use that ticket for the the next 2/3 hours to transfer to another bus or for a couple of bucks more, you can get a day pass I was on the 3 bus. Driver was really friendly and helpful. The busses here do make frequent stops and it does get alot of riders. Thankfully they're not completely crazy but I do enjoy the busses port to port is extensive where you can get to the destinations with little to no change. I do not trust google in checking out times. Fair accommodation read more

I should give 0 starts. Last year someone punched my face in the bus the COTA should be responsible for that since I have police report and everything. They just did not reply back or anything. I should really start court proceedings. They open late and close early if you do need to solve any issues the phone customer service does not know nothing just waist your time. I think it is time for someone open other transportation company in Columbus because this company. read more

there should be some type of literacy course where updated procedures can be taught to every cota employee so everyone is on one accord. I purchased a monthly bus pass on the 4th of December & it expired on the 30th of December. 26 days when there are 31 days in the month of December. Avoid going to the supervisor Hector because his information clashes with other Cota representatives information leaving everyone confused. read more

I pay $80 a month for the stupidist bus system ever. Lucky you if you get a human answering you on the customer service line. Most of the time you get the answering machine. The agent cannot locate bus, if in bad mood, bouces you to an extension to listen again to the machine. Cota bus shame on you, get professional people, you management and service such. You just don't care, shame on you!!!!​ read more

Blocking main road access right at The busiest intersection on Hamilton road now while your driver goes and takes a break. Makes no sense at all and is dangerous and makes people take drastic measures to maneuver around your stupid bus! Like I had to Today on Hamilton road the bus pulled over by Sheetz gas station which is the busiest part of the road and was just sitting there. Traffic was backed up almost down to the light on Winchester Pike. It's very dangerous. He could have easily pulled into Sheetz and parked anywhere on the side in the back parking lot. You guys are going to get somebody hurt and that behavior needs to stop. They also stop in front of thorntons on the corner of Winchester Pike and Hamilton road as well when they could easily just pull into the parking lot across the street at the abandoned building on the corner. Fyi these buses are not broken down. They are just obstructing traffic and creating hazardous conditions while your driver goes and drinks, coffee or whatever. I'll be reporting this to the city if something isn't done read more

COTA - Public Transportation Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Hands down the slowest bus service ever. If you think you missed the bus don't worry you can crawl to it because chances are T has not arrived yet. I lived and used public transportation in dozen major cities. Columbus and COTA takes the cake in worst.... read more

I'm grateful for having transit system. But as I'm writing this with frozen fingers and a newly aggravated cold due to Cota's bus being delayed to the point I walked in what feels like -1 degrees F to my destination. There are more than numerous accounts where I've watched in despair as their buses get delayed by 5...then 10...then 20...and so on minutes. I have seen bus drivers drive straight pass my stop despite not being fully occupied. I have watched drivers take wrong routes that were not planned, become aware of their mistake, then simply shrug and say it's the next bus's problem. Some lines cycle in 40 minute intervals of bus times. Other times, the buses simply never show up at all. If you're looking for motivation to strive even more desperately to be able to drive and get a car, try riding COTA. read more

Today labor day I had to work and my scheduled last bus # 1 Sawmil Bethel direction has not shown up. I am a woman stranded here with no money to take a taxi or Uber home. I called the customer service and pressed the stranded passenger button, the operator's message asked to call back during business hours. This public service company is jeopardizing my safety and other poor citizens' safety who cannot drive for health reason or other. read more

COTA is the public bus system in Columbus. It's either very bad or very good. The busses themselves are fine. It's the service that needs help. They also need to extend routes. I have used COTA to get around Columbus. It's mostly been for school and work. The hours are something they need to take a serious look at. It's strange how they have fewer users in the evenings. That's when people are out and they hog the roads. It would be nice to have more busses available when you want to go to some bars. That would make the streets a lot safer. It could also fix some routes. They need more busses going to the suburbs. It has too few that go out far enough. There also needs to be more commuters and then they would care more. I like that Columbus has a bus system but it could be better than COTA. It could use better hours and routes. The commuters should be more willing to ride so they have more options given for them. read more

COTA - Inside - Public Transportation Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Why don't we take the bus? You say you don't like the smell But I like the bus I can be whoever I want to be - Jay Som, The Bus Song I've been riding COTA twice a day during the workweek (sometimes four times a day, when I teach) since last August. Usually the #4 from the University District to downtown, and the #2 or #2L or #1 back at the end of the day. One's experience with COTA depends a lot on the route; the buses on the routes I take are reasonably quick, and buses run pretty frequently. Other routes aren't so great; I have a coworker whose commute from Easton to downtown takes 45 minutes, and she has to make sure she catches her bus at the end of the workday, or else she has a long wait until the next bus. From my experience as a rider, the drivers are great. They have all been polite and professional, and many are friendly and occasionally downright cheerful. There have been a number of times I've run for the bus, and they've seen me and waited. The riders are a mixed population; white-collar professionals, OSU students, blue-collar workers, some homeless and transients. I've never had a problem or felt unsafe, but I'm a guy; certainly as a female rider, you'll want to exercise some caution. A fellow rider told me about a guy who used to give unsolicited foot massages to riders of all genders, but I haven't run across him. It should be noted that COTA's schedules feel more like guidelines for the drivers than definitive schedules. That being said, download the Transit app on your smartphone; the app will give you real-time information on your buses, and is generally pretty reliable with regard to estimated arrival times. And no, none of the buses I've ridden on have had a smell. read more

COTA - Airconnect; clean, spacious, and racks for your luggage. - Public Transportation Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Terrible service with bus drivers. Very rude drivers and drive crazy. What work in the system with people if you don't like them.

When our office moved from Cleveland Ave and Polaris Parkway down to Broad and High - I was NOT happy. When I was hired by this company almost 7 years ago, working downtown would have been a deal breaker. I worked at Third and Broad in the 90's and did not want to play that game again. We were given a location adjustment (not parking reimbursement) but it didn't cover parking in a garage close to the office. As a result, I opted for COTA - leave the driving to them. First experiment was going via the Gahanna Park and Ride. The problem, however, was only 2 buses go that route in the morning and then 2 in the afternoon. No other options to get back to my car. So I moved on to - Experiment #2. Easton Transit Center. This plan worked much better. I could always find parking there, grab an express but in - and then local buses ran all day every 30 minutes to get me back to my car (but the ride was almost one hour). So on to - CMAX. The CMAX option was introduced this week. It runs from Polaris to downtown. Most importantly for me - it runs from Northern Lights to Broad and High - in about 15-20 minutes. AND it runs back to my car, using the same route, about every 15 minutes or so. The down side may be a higher cost - express route charges both ways - but my time is worth $$ - so I'm thinking this will be my future ride. Regardless of which route I ride, it sure beats the traffic on 670 and the insane monthly and daily parking rates. The COTA drivers are generally friendly - and while some of the riders are STRANGE - it often gives me a story to tell when I get to my destination. (I've been told I could write a blog with all my bus stories.) read more

Since I don't live downtown Columbus, I'm not a frequent COTA user. I will say that COTA's Cbus Circulator has been their best idea added to their offerings of city transit. Patrons can ride from German Village all the way to the Short North for free. Plenty of stops along that route, which makes it easier to go to local city events (think Red White & Boom, ComFest, German Village Garage Sale, etc.). You can park off the main thoroughfares, avoid the hassles of traffic and parking, and hop on the Cbus to get you to your final destination. A year or so ago, COTA reconfigured their routes and stops to better fit the growing demands and shifts of population. I'm glad I could support them on this 75th anniversary event - ALL COTA rides were free for the day! read more

I've been using COTA as my primary means of transportation since the spring and I have been very satisfied with my experience. The majority of COTA drivers are friendly and courteous of riders. Several times I've been running just a few seconds behind schedule and the driver has waited for me before driving away, which has always been extremely appreciated. 99% of the buses I've been on have been clean and in good order. All buses offer free public Wi-Fi and audio/video surveillance to ensure the safety of bus patrons. As for bus schedules, it's important to keep in mind that these times will always fluctuate due to traffic and the number of riders on each bus. If you want to ride like a pro, download the Transit app to any smartphone. All COTA buses are equipped with geolocators, which enables the Transit app to track your bus in realtime. I have become much more efficient at riding the bus since downloading this app! The only negative I've experienced so far are break-heavy bus drivers (which, fortunately, doesn't happen that often). read more

Operator 3902 is by far the most rude and inconsiderate driver ive had to deal with. He literally made me take my baby out of the stroller and gave me attitude about me not knowing how to raise the seat up. Told me that my stroller was blocking the aisle. And I needed to hurry up and get situated. I strongly suggest they replace him read more

7 WORDS: CHEAP / UTILITARIAN / EASY LOCAL ACCESS / LONG WAITS Mass Transit is rarely the best way to travel. Then again, the people who bitch about COTA are rarely those willing to shell out $15 for the same $2 trip that may take twice as long. If you're high-maintenance or impaired with "Privileged Class Disease", then Mass Transit definitely isn't for you. However, if you HAVE TO TRAVEK but cannot drive, COTA is a cheap, value-minded, reasonable alternative. Be aware, COTA has restricted holiday and off-peak schedules. Otherwise, it works great for the amount it costs. It's a good value for the non-driving crowd, and even could have benefit to anyone living in German Village, the Short North, or Ohio State area. read more

I want to say, I called cota customer service and asked, cab I use my cota app to pay for multiple riders and her answer was simple yes. Now when I tried doing it this morning was told by the driver. That it takes too much time to do so I wast able to do so. Now I thinks it's stupid to have a cashless option only to in up using cash any ways. Get it right, and for crying out loud stop crying about your job. I came on to ride not here you hitch about the job you picked to work. BUS NUMBER (1429) 11:27AM SATURDAY 06/10/2023 read more

Today encountered the rudest driver: Line 1: runnning to from North to Short North 14:30 at Pickfored Dr & Bethel Rd picking up passangers My BuckID did not work on machine. White middle aged man, with glasses, was extremely rude to me, insisting me to pay $2, but I had no cash, and I should NOT pay anyway. read more

I've been riding the bus a lot lately mostly because it's so convenient. I've not had a bad experience other than when I wanted to take the bus from downtown sometime in the afternoon on a Saturday and there just weren't any. It just seemed like they should be running later than they were, but they know they're business more than I do. The busses are on time, clean convenient and mostly friendly drivers. I really love taking the bus...leave the driving to them an let me have some time to write yelp reviews. read more

The CBUS is my favorite mode of alt transportation in Columbus! So here's the deal: The CBUS is a free circulator (a shiny new bus!) that goes through the downtown neighborhoods. It has lots of stops along the way, and it comes every 10 minutes or so. There's no need for a map or tickets or tokens or anything like that. Seriously, you just find any CBUS stop, hop on the bus, and then hop off wherever you want. It's also cool to note that all the drivers have gone through CTA (certified tourism ambassador) training! That means they're really friendly and know the city super well. If you're playing anywhere from the Brewery District through the Short North, the CBUS is the way to get around! read more

Took the Air Connect at 2pm today (7.13) and witnessed a driver giving stellar advice to a traveler on things to do in the Capital City during their stay. For $2.75 you can take the shuttle from CMH to downtown, a trip that takes less than 30 minutes. Can you dig it? If you're writing bad reviews about public transit, you've got bigger problems to worry about. read more

Terrible, Terrible, Terrible there is not 1 bus that runs up and down Olentangy one of the most business populated roads. Also regardless of where I live It should not take me 2 hours and 3 busses to go 20 min south by car. 33 is unreliable and the no one seems to care. There is very limited service in Dublin and the routes again dont go down Olentangy where tons of fortune 100 companys are and people need services and cant afford $60 a day in uber to get to work. Fix this please read more

Overall, my experiences with COTA have been fine. Most of the drivers are friendly, offering welcome aboards as you step on and thank yous after the ticket transaction has been handled. The buses generally always arrive within a few minutes of the scheduled time, and they add second buses for routes when they get busy at certain times of the day. The time a ride takes varies by time of day and how busy it is, so if you're riding at rush hour or similar busy times, make sure to give yourself some extra time to reach your destination. The COTA website is a good resource for figuring out your route and the bus schedules. They also offer some nice services like bike 'n bus and free rides during Level 2 and 3 snow emergencies. Tickets are available in a variety of ways - single rides, day passes, 7 day passes, 31 day passes, etc and can be purchased from COTA or at Kroger or Giant Eagle stores. Some employers and colleges have worked out special deals with COTA, so employees and students can also check with those sources to see if you are eligible for a benefit that can get you discounted or free rides. Single trip and day passes can also be purchased on board the bus - you'll want to have exact change to purchase that way. A great improvement that I hear is coming soon is the addition of a more user friendly bus tracker app. It can be kind of annoying to try to check for updates on the website or Google Transit Data from the phone. That should be a helpful addition. While I would love to see COTA get something like a rail system in addition to the buses, the bus service can get you to a lot of places around town. read more

ahhhh! Why didn't I think to review this earlier?? I live at the very north end of the CBUS route (though you'll usually find me running down High St. to the Price Ave stop as I see the bus making the east turn onto the 3rd and Say loop. I usually walk during my weekend downtown explorations, but with the weather gone hot this summer, it's been a pleasure to hop on the CBUS to get to Columbus Commons, the Scioto Mile, the Columbus Arts Festival, the North Market, etc etc. So far all the buses I've ridden have been clean and the drivers helpful and polite. The fellow who drove the bus I took to the Arts Festival must have been tired of pointing out the correct stop to each new busload of people, but he was friendly and gave directions to folks who didn't know where to go. I'm looking forward to utilizing this service more over the summer, and hoping that the free service continues on through the winter (or at least at a low cost). Now if only COTA would launch a bus service for us second-shifters... read more

COTA - Waiting at the Price Ave. stop. - Public Transportation Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This review is being written strictly from a driver's standpoint. I am totally in support of public transportation, 110%. But COTA needs to learn some basic driving etiquette. The COTA drivers often ride in the right hand lane so they can easily pick up passenger, but between stops, they love to scoot into the left lane. They don't care if your tiny Saturn is there. They push you into the turn lane and steal your spot, forcing you behind them. This is often dangerous, especially if you're already pinned between the bus and another vehicle. Where are you supposed to go? They have no regard for cars. I kid you not, I once saw a guy park and open his door only to have it blasted off by a COTA bus that just kept driving. The poor guy stood there dumfounded. Granted, he should've check to see what kind of traffic was coming, but the driver didn't even stop. That's just cruel. Oh, and from a pedestrian point of view, the bus stops are usually filthy. Many are covered with graffiti and lined with old newspapers and cigarette butts. If the bus has a bench with an ad featuring a model, you can guarantee that the model will have blackened teeth, drawn-on warts, maybe even a one-eyed pirate patch. Public transportation is a fantastic way to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. And I commend COTA for trying to go green by switching to soy biodiesel, placing recycling bins at some of their terminals, and providing a bike rack (though it only holds two bikes) on some bus fronts. But I think they need to spend some time talking to their drivers about the rules of the road and doing something, (making sure there's a nearby trash can or place to put cigarettes out or maybe having their crew clean the stop shelters more frequently) anything to crack down on the amount of garbage that piles up around their street spaces. read more

COTA - Public Transportation Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I came here tonight for an informative event with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). I got to hear all the exciting things going on with COTA through their marketing team. Did you know that the COTA bus now goes to New Albany because of all the high demand businesses there? Now you don't need to waste money on gas and head straight on the COTA bus to work! Have you also checked out the CBUS? It's the new thing and it's hoppin' my friends! They've been operating since May of last year and doing great for Columbus. I got to learn all about COTA and how many more buses they intend to add between now and 2017. With the growth of population in Columbus you need more transportation available to those people. I personally only take the COTA when I'm around OSU since I don't want to pay to park around campus. It saves me a lot of time and money. I was so happy to learn so much about COTA tonight and hope you all will take advantage of the CBUS or COTA buses. read more

The worst customer service ever! I am not surprised any more to see rude drivers since there is no supervisor behind them to be afraid of! The driver acts like if she own the whole city! She was yelling at customer! When I called the customer service the guy was yelling too!! :) Zero start among all the bus systems in the whole world. I know now why they have only two starts here! read more

What a great option offered by COTA! This FREE circulator runs through several areas all along High Street and down to German Village to offer tourists and locals a nice way to visit some of the great urban spots Columbus has to offer! I hadn't used this service until this summer because we often walk/bike most places, but we finally boarded on a hot afternoon to cool off while getting to our next destination. The signs along High St are difficult to find due to construction in the Short North now, but outside of the construction areas it is well marked. There are maps showing all of the stops and the route of the circulators. Busses are clean and drivers are friendly. I love that Columbus is offering this service since we all know how lacking our city is with regards to public transit. read more

Late. Late. Late. 'Bus tracker' is a joke. Roll a dice and the number that comes up is either when you should leave... or it's how many minutes ago the bus left and you now have to wait 30 minutes. That number is more likely to be accurate than the bus tracker. I so, so want to love COTA but their service is ensuring they will never be a viable method of transit for anyone with an alternative because: 1) The busses now come every 30 minutes. The myth of high frequency routes is just that- a myth. 2) There is no duplication/overlap to the routes, so WHEN you miss your bus (because you used the bus tracker) you have no alternative route. 3) system changes made stops further away from each other, so longer walks to try to reach the stop, to transfer to another line etc. 4) bus tracker is crap. CRAP. read more

Was driving down 270w and was ran off the rod by a COTA driving who was talking on the cell phone. These drivers have no care in the works at all! read more