The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) has purchased six new buses as it prepares to begin a circulator route in downtown Columbus. The CBUS service, scheduled to begin in May, will shuttle passengers to popular downtown and Short North destinations. âThis will enable people, if they work downtown, to access the Short North for restaurants for lunch or to access destinations on the southern end that they wish to go to for lunch,â? says COTA spokesman Marty Stutz. Unlike other circulators in years past, the new CBUS system will begin at 7 a.m. weekdays and operate into the evening hours with reduced service on weekends. Stutz says CBUS service will also help downtown residents and people staying at downtown hotels to take the bus rather than drive to their destinations. Planning for the service began in the spring of last year says Stutz. âWe needed to plan how it would operate and of course order buses to provide the service. And so we should be ready to introduce the service by Monday May 5th,â? Stutz says. Thereâs an added bonus; COTA says rides will be free through the end of the year.
COTA To Begin Downtown Circulator Bus Service In May
