COTA Board Approves No Fares on Election Day; No Fares for Veterans and Active Military on Veterans Day

During the September meeting, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) Board of Trustees unanimously approved two resolutions to waive all transit fares for all customers on Election Day and waive fares for veterans and active military members on Veterans Day.

To help improve access to polling locations, customers can board any COTA Transit vehicle on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at no cost to them. This includes COTA’s fixed-route system, COTA Mainstream, Mainstream On-Demand and COTA//Plus.

“Since 2019, COTA has proudly waived fares on general election days to ensure that transportation is not a barrier for customers to exercise their right to vote,” said COTA Board of Trustees Chair Marlon Moore. “I am proud our board recognizes that voting access includes the need for equitable mobility options and will waive fares once again.”

Voters can check their polling location on the Franklin County Board of Elections Website. Once voters find their polling location, they can plan their trip at COTA.com or the Transit app on their smartphone.

On Monday, Nov. 11, all veterans and active military service members can board any of COTA’s services at no cost to them. For customers to receive this benefit, they can provide military-issued identification to the transit operator when boarding, wear a veteran hat or article of clothing, or they can verbally identify as a veteran or member of the military.

“Our veterans and active military have sacrificed so much of their time to protect our freedom, and we owe them our respect and gratitude on Veterans Day and every day,” said COTA

President/CEO Monica Téllez-Fowler. “Since 2016, COTA has celebrated our veterans by waiving fares on this national holiday. This will help them attend remembrances and celebrations across our service area and participate in programs that help our American heroes.”

Veterans are eligible for a 50% discount on all fares every day. Veterans can apply for this benefit at the COTA Customer Experience Center, 33 North High Street during business hours. The benefit can be added to their Transit app account, or they can be provided with a COTA Smartcard. Proof of veteran or active military status is required when applying for the benefit.

To learn how to enroll in the veteran discount or to see if you qualify for other discounts, click here.