This document summarizes service changes to the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) bus system that will take effect on January 6, 2014. Several local bus routes and express routes will have adjusted schedules and stops to improve on-time performance. Three routes will be part of a bus stop improvement project that optimizes stop spacing. COTA will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2014 with special fare promotions. Public meetings were held to present these changes and receive feedback.

1. January 2014 Service Changes
Public Information Meetings
Dec. 3 & 10, 2013

2. Housekeeping items
 The purpose of this meeting is to explain service changes effective
Monday, Jan. 6, 2014.
 Silence all cell phones.
 Be considerate of meeting attendees and COTA staff.
 When it is your turn to make a comment or ask a question about
COTA’s service changes, remain at your seat and we will call upon
you.
 Comments and questions are limited to two minutes per person.
 Participants are encouraged to complete comment cards.
 Ask one question at a time so the appropriate COTA staff member may
address your comment.
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3. Timelines
COTA modifies service three times per year
First Monday of:
 January
 May
 September
January 2014 changes will begin on Monday, Jan. 6
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4. January 2014 service changes
Local lines
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5. January 2014 service changes
#1 Livingston (Sunday)
 All trips are extended to Reynoldsburg
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
#1 Cleveland (Sunday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
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6. January 2014 service changes
#3 W. Mound (All Days)
 Service is extended
further south on
Georgesville Road,
south of I-270
 Southbound buses
no longer travel
through Walmart
parking lot
 Northbound buses
will travel through
Walmart parking lot
before continuing
north
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7. January 2014 service changes
#3 Northwest Blvd. (All Days)
 Trip times are shifted due to changes on 3 W. Mound
#5 W. Fifth Ave. (Weekday)
 The eastbound trip previously leaving First Community Village at
10:57 p.m. will now leave at 11:07 p.m. to better accommodate
work shift times
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
#5 W. Fifth Ave. (Sunday)
 Trip times are slightly modified due to changes on 3 W. Mound
#7 Neil/Whittier (All Days)
 Bus Stop Service Improvement Project
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8. January 2014 service changes
#8 Frebis Ave. (Weekday and Saturday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
#8 Hamilton Ave. (Weekday and Saturday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
#9 Leonard/Brentnell (Weekday)
 Frequency of service is improved to approximately 23 minutes
during peak times, and 30 minutes during mid-day operation
#10 E. Broad (Weekday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance on
specific trips
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9. January 2014 service changes
#11 Oak/Bryden (Weekday)
 The westbound trip that started at Main & Holtzman at 5:57 a.m. will
now start at the Gender Road Town Center at 5:25 a.m.
 The bus that leaves Gender Road Town Center at 7:14 p.m. has
been shifted to leave at 7:12 p.m.
#11 St. Clair (Weekday)
 The bus that leaves High & Broad at 8:02 p.m. has been shifted to
leave at 8 p.m.
#16 E. Long/S. High (Weekday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
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10. January 2014 service changes
#18 Kenny (All Days)
 Bus Stop Service Improvement Project
#18 Kenny (Weekday)
 Frequency of service is improved to 20 minutes during peak times,
and 30 minutes in the evening between Downtown and Sawmill
Road
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11. January 2014 service changes
Express lines
(Note: Weekday-only modifications)
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12. January 2014 service changes
#31 Worthington (Weekday)
 Bus stops on Campus View Boulevard will no longer be served by
line 31
#32 Crosswoods (Weekday)
 Bus stops on Campus View Boulevard will no longer be served by
line 32
#37 Westerville (Weekday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
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13. January 2014 service changes
#39 New Albany (Weekday)
 The trip time on the second morning trip is changed to leave the
New Albany Park & Ride at 6:54 a.m.
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
#40 New Albany Business Park (Weekday)
 An additional morning trip is added leaving High & Rich downtown
at 7:54 a.m.
 An additional evening trip is added leaving Aetna in New Albany
at 6:05 p.m.
#47 Brice (Weekday)
 Trip times are modified to provide an earlier trip leaving
Nationwide & High at 3:45 p.m.
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
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14. January 2014 service changes
#49 Southeast (Weekday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
#52 OSU/Airport (All Days)
 Alignment through campus is modified due to the closing of Curl
Drive
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15. January 2014 service changes
#55 Gender Road (Weekday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
#58 Dublin (Weekday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
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16. January 2014 service changes
Crosstown lines
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17. January 2014 service changes
#81 Hudson/Ohio (All Days)
 In both directions, the deviation
from Hudson Street into the
Lowe’s parking lot is removed
 Travel times are adjusted to reflect
the alignment changes
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18. January 2014 service changes
#82 Grandview / OSU (Weekday)
 Travel times are adjusted to improve on-time performance
#95 Morse/Henderson (Weekday)
 Select trip times are modified to improve connections between
other lines
#95 Morse/Henderson (All Days)
 Bus Stop Service Improvement Project
#96 Fifth Ave. (Weekday)
 An additional westbound evening trip is added leaving Gahanna at
7:44 p.m.
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19. January 2014 service changes
Questions?
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20. Bus Stop Service Improvement Project
Project Goals
 Optimally space bus stops
to balance the need for
quick in-vehicle travel time
with considerations of the
distance that customers
must walk to access bus
stops
 Improve operational
efficiency
 Reduce maintenance
costs of underutilized bus
stops
 Improve travel times,
where possible
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21. Bus Stop Service Improvement Project
The following lines were analyzed for January 2014:
 #7 Neil/Whittier (Local)
 #18 Kenny (Local)
 #95 Morse/Henderson (Crosstown)
All service will be discontinued from stops that are removed as a part
of this project
Bus lines that share stops with the above lines may also be affected by
bus stop changes as part of this project
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22. Bus Stop Service Improvement Project
An open public comment period about these
changes was held from Oct. 7 – Nov. 1, 2013
Maps of all final changes and a list of all affected
stops is available for review by request and online:
http://www.cota.com/BusStopServiceImprovement.
aspx
Commuter Bulletins regarding the final bus stop
changes have been posted on all affected bus
stops
Example Commuter Bulletin
posted at bus stop
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23. Bus Stop Service Improvement Project
Questions?
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24. COTA update
Ticket/Pass vending machine
 Lobby hours are no longer extended at the end and beginning of
each month
Website is being redesigned to be more friendly for mobile users
COTA’s South and North Terminals downtown will be undergoing
refurbishment to accommodate CNG buses
COTA has begun a Transit System Review project and public input
meetings will be scheduled for March and June 2014
 A survey will be launched on COTA.com in December about transit
needs in central Ohio
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25. COTA update
Project Development phase of proposed
Cleveland Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
initiated November 2013
 Includes environmental assessment
report and preliminary engineering
 Completion of Project Development
and application submitted to Federal
Transit Administration in September
2014 for project rating and grant
funding approval.
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26. COTA update
Continued planning of Downtown Circulator
proposed for May 2014
 Potential extension north to Third Avenue
 Potential later evening service on
Friday/Saturday
 Continuing to develop infrastructure for service
along Front Street
•
•
Electrical conduits
Shelters
Proposed new bus stop signage in downtown area
 Uniquely branded signs for Downtown
Circulator stops as well as signage for all other
downtown bus stops
 Pilot test of electronic real-time next bus arrival
displays
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27. COTA update
New Albany Business Park
 New Park & Ride proposed
near SR 161 and Johnstown
Road
 Six morning and six afternoon
trips to the Park & Ride; three
trips each from Downtown and
the Easton Transit Center
beginning September 2014
 New Albany would provide a
shuttle to move employees
from the Park & Ride to the
business park
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28. COTA is celebrating 40 years of service in 2014
Special fare will be offered to our
customers as described below:
 Free fare for all trips taken between
12:00 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2014 and
12:00 a.m. Jan. 2, 2014
 A special fifty cent ($0.50) fare on the first day of each service
change in 2014 – Monday, Jan. 6; Monday, May 5; and Monday,
Sept. 1, 2014
 During the month of August, COTA will issue a $4 discount coupon
with the purchase of a 31-day pass that can be applied toward the
purchase of a 31-day pass in September. The discount coupon will
be available and redeemable only between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30,
2014 and only at COTA’s Pass Sales Office at 33 N. High St.
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29. COTA update
Questions?
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