COTA fare suspension and rear-door boarding (Mar. 19, 2020) and focused service reductions (Mar. 16-23, 2020), as described in COTA's release 'COTA will return to fares beginning January 11' (Dec. 2020)

The record

Jurisdiction

COTA service area (Franklin County and portions of adjoining counties) · Columbus · Ohio

Level

Sector regulator

Authority

R.C. 306.35; COTA Board of Trustees and management authority over fares, boarding and service

Issued

2020-03-19 Mar. 19, 2020

Effective

2020-03-19 (fare suspension and rear-door boarding); service reductions Mar. 16, 20 and 23, 2020; Essential Travel Only policy Apr. 3, 2020 (read as 2020-03-19)

End

2021-01-11 (fares resumed); rider caps and boarding rules relaxed during 2020-21 (read as 2021-01-11)

In force

Mar. 19, 2020 to Jan. 11, 2021

Quarters

2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q1

2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3

Limitation types

Capacity limitTravel and quarantineOther

Addressees

• transit customers
• employers whose workers commute by transit
• COTA operators

Functions reached

• WF workforce commuting (reduced routes, suspended rush-hour and AirConnect lines, 20-rider cap, essential travel only)
• TV airport and downtown travel
• CB customers

Collection

Columbus MET-CMH

Operative words

COTA temporarily suspended fares in March when transit vehicles began requiring rear-door boarding.... 'This allowed us to have customers board from the rear of the vehicle while we took time and care to implement new state-of-the art sanitization protocol and protective equipment, and educate the community on the role they can play in wearing proper protective face coverings.'... Employees or students who have transit service paid for by an employer/school will resume using their previous smartphone app or employment/student I.D. card on Jan. 11.

Enforcement

Notes