As an Ohio State student, you have the opportunity of using the COTA (Central Ohio Transit Authority) through your BuckID. This initially sounds great but can get confusing very quickly if you don’t have experience with using public transportation. Here are some questions you may have:
- Where are the bus stops?
- Where do the different bus lines go?
- How do I know when the bus is coming?
Here’s a simple guide from COTA: https://www.cota.com/how-to-ride/
COTA recommends using their trip planner on their website, but if you have a smartphone the Transit app makes travelling with COTA incredibly easy: https://transitapp.com/
Through the app you can choose a destination and it will then show you the best bus lines and route to take from your current location. It will track the bus that you choose providing current updates as to when the bus is coming and where it is.
After determining your route, using the bus is simple. COTA buses stop at bus stops when they see somebody waiting there. When boarding the bus, be sure to swipe your BuckID as that will serve as your fare for the trip. Pay attention to the stops you are passing as that will clue you in as to when you need to get off. When you know which stop to get off at, be sure to pull the yellow wire to alert the driver that you need to get off at the next stop. Due to COVID, current protocol is to exit the bus from the back door so as not to crowd the front of the bus.
Most useful lines for Ohio State students:
- 2: Travels North and South on High Street, useful for exploring outside of campus
- 31: Travels through South campus, Med campus, and takes you close to Lennox Town Center