Mission & Vision

Our Journey Continues

You Are What Drives Us

The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is the regional public transit provider for greater Columbus and Central Ohio. We serve an area with more than 1.2 million residents and help people take more than 19 million trips every single year.

To help each and every part of COTA focus on the work we do, we have a Mission and a Vision. The mission is about what we do every day and how we do it. Our vision is about our focus for the future.

Our Mission: We provide solutions that connect people to prosperity through innovation, dedication and teamwork.

Our Vision: To move every life forward.

Download COTA’s Strategic Plan to learn more.

A View of 2020 by the Numbers

Fixed-Route Ridership: 10,322,467

Routes: 41 (pre-COVID), covering a 562 square mile service area

Employees: 1,120+

Mainstream Trips: 238,713

Total Revenue: $231.4m, including:

  • $133m in Sales Tax
  • $39.5m in Grants Awarded
  • $4.3m in Passenger Fares
  • $1.2 in Interest Earnings
  • $49.8m in COVID Funding
  • $3.6m Miscellaneous

In 2018 and 2020, the American Public Transportation Association awarded COTA with its Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award.

Download our 2020 Annual Report.

A View of 2019 by the Numbers

Fixed-route Ridership: 19,141,454

Routes: 42

Employees: 1,200+

Mainstream trips: 305,559 (this includes Mainstream On-Demand)

Total Revenue: $185.6m including:

  • $135.1m in Sales Tax
  • $23.2m in Grants Awarded
  • $19m in Passenger Fares
  • $4m in Interest Earnings
  • $4.3m in Miscellaneous

Download our 2019 Annual Report.

 

Where to Find us Around Town

Our Facilities

  • 33 N. High Street: COTA’s Administrative Offices house a Customer Experience Center, an operator relief station and an employee day room for operators to relax in between shifts
  • 1600 McKinley Avenue: This 400,000 square foot facility has indoor storage capacity for 240 large, 40-foot buses, space for heavy and light maintenance and an area where buses are cleaned with two automated bus washers.
  • 1333 Fields Avenue: The newly renovated 275,000 square foot Fields Avenue Facility stores 180 coaches, has 12 vehicle maintenance bays and two bus washers. It is also the location of all our operator training classrooms and facilities.
  • 1330 Fields Avenue: This 104,000 square-foot paratransit facility houses operations, maintenance and administrative functions for Mainstream, which is COTA’s demand-responsive service for persons with disabilities. The building includes storage for 110 paratransit vehicles (of which we currently have 64), six maintenance bays, bus wash and two fueling islands, as well as a state-of-the-art eligibility assessment center.

Our President Shares Where We‘re Headed

Moving Forward is a regular digital newsletter to the community from COTA’s President/CEO. The email includes topics such:

  • The future of mobility
  • COTA’s achievements
  • Profiles of people working to improve transit
  • News, other items of interest and more

Subscribe to Moving Forward

 

Every Meeting Helps Us Get You There

We want to make sure you know how decisions get made at COTA. That’s why we’re including links to our Special Selection Committee Meetings. Please download the Meeting Minutes to learn more.