If you're taking a Central Ohio Transit Authority bus to work or school on Monday, you might want to pack a little patience. Monday represents the first day of a new route system that officials say took several years and about $10 million to develop.
The changes look to bring COTA into the 21st century, a time where more people work in new employment centers like New Albany and the Polaris area instead of downtown.
Speaking Monday morning, COTA CEO Curtis Stitt said the changes seemed to be going over fairly well.
"A couple people had questions about where they needed to make their transfer, but otherwise, seemed to be running smooth so far," Stitt says.
Aside from better-serving riders in the suburbs, the changes also look to streamline existing routes and improve weekend service, which Stitt says will now be the same as Monday through Friday.
"Columbus is no longer just a five-day-a-week town," Stitt says. "People have jobs, people have places to go seven days a week."
To help alleviate any confusion and to avoid double-charging any riders who get on the wrong bus, COTA is making all routes free this week.
