Articulated Buses Coming Soon to COTA
From The Dispatch:
COTA takes steps to use them on busiest routes
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
By Debbie GebolysBefore streetcars, trolleys or trains, central Ohioans might see those funky two-part buses on our streets. Articulated buses, which have two cabins connected by a flexible, accordionlike hinge, are on COTA’s list for the future. The Central Ohio Transit Authority asked the Columbus and Upper Arlington city councils to allow the buses on their streets. The Columbus council voted last night to allow the longer buses: 66 feet, compared with the former limit of 48 feet.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at 9:00 pm and is filed under Transit.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS feed.
You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Related Tags: articulated buses • buses • COTA • Transit • transportation
January 19th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Where are those 6 articulating buses that COTA announced it had ordered almost a year ago? These buses are desperately needed for the #2 route, which often has 2 buses following one another, a very wasteful practice.
I personally can’t wait to see these driving around. We’ve been needing them for quite some time and I can’t believe it’s taken so long.
I’d appreciate any information if anyone knows anything.
January 19th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
hold on there, hold on
They have only been used in major cities since the 80’s
Lets not put the cart before the horse
More study is needed.
Just because they have something new in Mt. Pilot isn’t a reason for us to rush into anything
January 20th, 2010 at 9:55 am
loltenzo
January 20th, 2010 at 11:01 am
YAY I Love riding in the middle..the center of the bus twirls you around!! I think Cincinnati put 6 on the streets last week..Cleveland has had them for a while now.
January 20th, 2010 at 11:54 am
These buses speak very well.
January 20th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Sounds like we’ll have to wait fort he #2 to get these after other routes have them. I wonder what he hold up is? Maybe they scrapped this idea.
January 20th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
I’ve heard that the “holdup” is due to the fact that these are custom-made vehicles built to order, and they’re purchased in part with federal grants. So it sounds like the 18-month process of purchase-to-implementation isn’t quite the same as heading to a car dealership, signing some papers, and driving home with a brand new accordion bus. ;)
January 20th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Finally, these are desparately needed along High St. for peek hours.
January 20th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Just got off an uber-crowded #2 where an old woman had to give up a seat for an older woman. Can’t wait for bigger buses to arrive.
January 21st, 2010 at 11:42 am
I have thought about just starting a private bus company on these routes. I think it would work.
Cocktail Lounge in the back
$2 a ride
Late night service
Less stops
January 21st, 2010 at 12:19 pm
^Fun idea, but you’d have to get a license from the city and they would be unlikely to allow you to compete with COTA (or serve cocktails).
January 21st, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Lets be the first city in Ohio to have light rail. German Village to Clintonville on High Street and Bexley to Franklinton on Broad Street!
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:51 am
^Ummm, Cleveland has had light rail service to Shaker Heights since 1913.
http://www.riderta.com/ar_RTAhistory.asp
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Ooooh Ummm sorry just checked it out…Columbus needs more public transportation options and stop messing with I-71. Its fine…Columbus doesnt know what traffic is until they go somewhere else. Its a breeze here.
January 22nd, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Jeftrokat Says: Where are those 6 articulating buses that COTA announced it had ordered almost a year ago?
Correction - I guess they didn’t place the orders for them yet. They’ve purchased some longer hybrid buses that should be rolling out soon though.
January 25th, 2010 at 1:17 am
Walker, I was going to ask about hybrid buses. General Motors (yes, GM) did a lot of work in them when I worked there and we even tried to get the buses in Kansas City at that time (to no avail).