COTA board approves study regarding making bus system free

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The Central Ohio Transit Authority has commissioned a study to examine making the bus system free to use.
The COTA Board of Trustees voted at an April 14 meeting to approve a contract with the California-based consulting company Four Nines Technologies to conduct a 'No Fare Feasibility Study' for a cost not exceeding $319,946.
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The study will examine the potential impacts of making the transit system completely free to use, or making rides free for certain groups, according to a resolution passed by the board. A standard bus ride costs $2, but fares may be cheaper or free for certain riders, such as children and students.
'COTA continues to receive questions from the community about the feasibility of moving from a transit system that charges customers fares to a system that charges zero fares or creates zero fare opportunities for identified groups,' the resolution reads. 'To provide meaningful, well-researched data to support answers to community questions, COTA must perform a deeper analysis of the long-term sustainability of a substantial change to the fare system.'
Fares make up about 17% of COTA's operating funds, according to the agency's 2023-2027 Short Range Transit Plan.
The study will begin on May 1 and conclude on Dec. 31. It will be paid for through the External Relations Division's operating budget for 2025, specifically with local funds, which includes income from sales tax revenue and fares.
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The study will analyze six specific areas, including the financial implications of transitioning to a no-fare or partial-fare system, potential needed changes to current operations, how underserved communities would be impacted, what technology would be needed for the transition, feedback from key stakeholders, and laws that may impact the change.
The completion of the study will not guarantee COTA will go fare free. The transit system has considered the idea before, when it commissioned a similar study from the law firm IceMiller in 2020.
That study was conducted amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and before voters approved LinkUs, a plan to modernize and expand COTA's current system through rapid transit lines, extended walkways and more. The 2020 analysis noted other cities that switched to a fare-free system – including Denver and Olympia, Washington — saw increased ridership.
Jeff Pullin, COTA's director of public and media relations, said he does not have any further information about the study to share at this time.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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