The Ohio State University

COTA
COTA (Central Ohio Transit Authority) offers public bus transportation to Franklin County and small portions of adjacent Delaware, Fairfield and Licking Counties.  They run 58 routes and have over 4,300 bus stops located throughout the area mentioned above.  Visit their web site (or call 228-1776) for more information on their specific routes, bus fares, and other services.

Faculty and staff have the option of purchasing a reduced monthly bus pass at the Transportation & Parking Services 160 Bevis Hall office. Currently the costs are $41.00/month for the local bus pass (regularly $45) and $58.00/month for the express pass (regularly $62.00). (Please note: COTA passes at Transportation & Parking are only sold on a monthly basis.  The month is designated as the first of each month, not the date from which the pass is purchased.)

PARTNERSHIP WITH MORPC BRINGS VANPOOLING OPTION TO CAMPUS
In an effort to provide our customers with more transit options and in support of Business & Finance's Scarlet, Gray and Green initiative, Transportation & Parking Services has partnered with MORPC (the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission) to provide OSU faculty and staff a new alternate transit option, vanpooling. Vanpools can save riders money since several people will be sharing a ride to work, instead of the one rider per vehicle standard. Riders will share the cost of the ride, saving wear-and-tear on their vehicle and reducing the amount of money spent on gas. Participants ride in a comfortable van that is driven by a volunteer from the group, and a parking space is reserved for the vehicle in a location near the driver's job site. In case of an emergency or unexpected overtime, a Guaranteed Ride Home service is also provided with this program. Interested? For more information, please visit osuvanpooling.morpc.org.

VANPOOL RIDERS NEEDED
Vanpool groups from Lancaster, Newark, Marysville, Mansfield, and others, are looking for additional passengers to continue /begin vanpooling services. The Newark vanpool will also be available at no charge during the month of December. Some restrictions apply. For more information, please visit http://osuvanpooling.morpc.org or contact Patty Olmsted
at (614)233-4133.

VANPOOL REFERRAL FORM
Refer your friends and co-workers to an OSU vanpool and you will receive $100.00 when they join! Contact Patty Olmsted of MORPC RideSolutions with your referral at (614)233-4133 or e-mail: polmsted@morpc.org.

Download Vanpool Referral Form (doc.)

BICYCLES
If you plan to ride your bicycle on campus, registration is free and strongly encouraged. A registered bike that is lost or stolen is more likely to be found and returned. To obtain more information on how to register your bicycle, please call OSU Public Safety at 247-6300, stop by the T&P office at 160 Bevis Hall, or visit our web site.

Bike racks are located throughout campus providing cyclists with a convenient place to secure their bikes. Bicycles should be locked to a bike rack using a u-bolt lock and cable combination. Please do not lock your bike to fences, signposts, disability ramps, stair railings, or trees. Bikes locked in places other than bike racks may impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic and may be impounded.

Additional bicycle information

Car Sharing
The University, through a competitive bid process, has selected "Connect by Hertz" as the new provider of car sharing services for OSU. Connect by Hertz ( a division of Hertz Corporation) offers vehciles by the hour or by the day for low rates that include fuel, insurance, maintenance and campus parking. The OSU fleet currently consists of Toyota Camrys, Ford Escapes and Toyota Prius Hybrids, all of which are EPA SmartWay certified for low emissions. Ten vehicles spread out over four locations around campus with more locations possible as use dictates, ensures that a vehicle will be close to you when you need it. For more information, please visit http://tp.osu.edu/carsharing/index.shtml.

MOTORCYCLES
Motorcycles are an efficient mode of travel and are welcome on the OSU campus. A current OSU motorcycle parking permit is required. The cost of a motorcycle permit is $15.00 annually and should be placed on the right side of the front fork.

A motorcycle symbol on the parking map identifies the motorcycle parking areas on campus. Motorcycles must park in two-wheeled spaces from 3:00AM - 4:00PM and may park in regular four-wheel vehicle spaces from 4:00PM - 3:00AM.  Motorcycles are permitted to park at a meter as long as the meter fee is paid.  Motorcycles are not permitted to park in most of the garages on campus at any time because of the limitations of the parking gates.  The two newest garages, Hospitals and Neil Ave., have separate motorcycle areas specifically designed to meet the needs of our motorcycle patrons.
Motorcycle Map (pdf)

CARPOOLS
The transferable parking permit makes carpooling easy.  A parking permit can be displayed in any vehicle within the carpool as long as the registered person is along.  If the group disbands, individual permits can be obtained.