Free Transit Pass Program Extended in Columbus

According to Columbus officials, transit ridership to and from downtown doubled in the years since the city implemented a free transit pass program.

1 minute read

November 19, 2020, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Central Ohio Transit Authority

aceshot1 / Shutterstock

The Central Ohio Transit Authority recently announced that it would extend the C-pass program, which offers free transit passes for workers in Downtown Columbus, until 2025.

The C-pass program has been in place since 2018, helping the city achieve a record in transit ridership in 2019.

"Since its launch, more than 450 downtown organisations have enrolled over 15,000 employees and residents, according to COTA. The authority also claimed that the C-pass contributed to its 31-year ridership high in 2019 and has more than doubled the ridership of the downtown workforce," according to an article by Intelligent Transport.  

A bus system redesign has also been credited with the increased pre-pandemic ridership levels in the city of Columbus. 

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 in Intelligent Transport

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

4 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

5 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

6 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press