COTA's Airport Transfer to Downtown Columbus…read more 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!

COTA needs to stop cancelling bus routes and get the number 3 rolling on time. I have waited way…read morelonger 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.

To Whom It May Concern: Well? Where do I start? with the rude bus operators? the bed bug? the…read morepoorly redone schedules? This System is one of the worst in the country! and I've rode a few transit lines over the years. Your African American bus drivers need to have customer skills training. And I'm Black myself and saying this! they act like their better than other people. Ive seen where white customers get on and are treated and spoken to with respect, I quit speaking to these people cause they never speak back! Rude and arrogant...especially the Black drivers..something needs to be done about this. the Easton transit terminal is where most of these arrogant rude Black Men work out of. Some of the Black women have nasty attitudes too!

It's hard to find fault with a free bus line, even if it is limited!…read more CABS is the campus-local bus service. It's absolutely free of charge for anyone who needs to get around campus. The real problem with CABS is that in the time I have been on campus, they have eradicated the single most handy route for students: the core circulator. This line used to whisk students around the heart of campus, making a jaunt from any of the dorms to any of the classrooms around central campus a relatively easy task. No more. The routes that are left are better suited for getting across campus, rather than around it, but the buses run more or less on time and get you where you need to go pretty quickly. Be warned, though, that if a bus driver really needs to use the bathroom, they're going to do it. They might not even warn you- you'll just wonder why the bus has been at this stop so long, look around, and notice the driver has vanished. Not fun when you're running late. But, hey, it's free.

This company is dishonest and far from safe. I was involved in an automobile accident caused by the…read morenegligence of an employee of Metro Transportation. At the time of the accident I spoke with one of the owners of the company and he assured me that he wanted to repair my vehicle. To make a very long story short, he later stopped responding to my emails, text messages and would not answer any of my calls. Their reputation should be viewed as an unsafe, dishonest and shady business. I would have rather not wrote this review, but their unwillingness to reimburse my out of pocket cost to repair my vehicle left me no choice. I am now out over $2,500 as a result of their driver's negligence and their owner's dishonesty.

Unfortunately, this company has a contract with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. So,…read moredon't expect any improvements to ever get made. The drivers talk on their cell phones, don't wear masks (even though they are driving elderly customers), refuse to accommodate handicap individuals, yell and become belligerent when questioned and show up to the wrong address.

absolutely the best!! Picked us up at 1AM and was quick, efficient and a pleasure to work with. I…read morepicked them because they were #1 on the list and I hope my 5 star review keeps them at #1.

What a fantastic experience talking to the owner,professional, easy to work with, helpful…read more Our driver Dustin, was prompt, courteous, smart and polite, we went over our allotted time, he was still attentive and courteous, he brought water and helped us enter and leave the vehicle, will 100% recommend and use this company again, thank you for making my Wife and I, and our family feel special attending our Son's wedding!