COLUMBUS (WCMH) – Columbus City Schools and the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) have teamed up to provide 8,000 COTA passes to students and their families at no cost.
The passes will be available of Columbus City School students in grades 8-12 as the district moves to get those students back to in-person instruction.
The Columbus Board of Education voted Tuesday to spend $216,000 of CARES Act funds to provide the passes.
The passes do not replace the district’s yellow bus service which provides transportation to students who qualify.
“We believe that this new partnership with COTA will be a great benefit for our students and their families,” said CCS Superintendent/CEO Dr. Talisa Dixon. “This partnership provides so many more opportunities for our students. Using public transportation is a life skill that many have grown up using in a large metropolitan area. We want our students to learn about it and use it as a supplemental transportation service.”
The COTA passes are valid through Aug. 25 and can be used to get to and from school, extracurricular activities, internships, and other enrichment experiences such as summer programs.
Students will use a QR code on their cellphones to board the bus. If students do not have a cellphone, they will be given a physical card.
Students who are interested in receiving a free COTA pass should contact their school principal for additional information.
The initiative is a partnership between Columbus City Schools, COTA, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, and Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District.