113-457: [REDACTED] The Central Ohio Transit Authority ( COTA / ˈ k oʊ t ə / ) is a public transit agency serving the Columbus metropolitan area , headquartered in Columbus, Ohio . It operates fixed-route buses , bus rapid transit , microtransit , and paratransit services. COTA's headquarters are located in the William J. Lhota Building in downtown Columbus . The agency is managed by President and CEO Monica Tellez-Fowler along with
226-426: A PIN can be added to a Complex Card. Complex Cards used to provide account information have been developed for: The latest generation of battery free, button free, Complex Cards can display a balance or other kind of information without requiring any input from the card holder. The information is updated during the use of the card. For instance, in a transit card, key information such as the monetary value balance,
339-454: A guideway . This is an uncommon mode of transportation (excluding elevators ) due to the complexity of automation. A fully implemented system might provide most of the convenience of individual automobiles with the efficiency of public transit. The crucial innovation is that the automated vehicles carry just a few passengers, turn off the guideway to pick up passengers (permitting other PRT vehicles to continue at full speed), and drop them off to
452-538: A 13-member board of trustees. COTA is funded by a permanent 0.25% sales tax as well as another 10-year 0.25% sales tax. The agency was founded in 1971, replacing the private Columbus Transit Company. Mass transit service in the city dates to 1863, progressively with horsecars , streetcars , and buses. The Central Ohio Transit Authority began operating in 1974 and has made gradual improvements to its fleet and network. Its first bus network redesign took place in 2017. The 2010s have also seen noted service improvements, with
565-469: A 3.6 percent increase in ridership by May 2018. In August 2017, COTA became the third large transit agency with fleet-wide passenger WiFi. On June 1, 2018, COTA began the C-Pass program, giving employees of certain companies downtown free rides on COTA buses. By 2019, the program enrolled about 420 companies. C-Pass is scheduled to be discontinued on December 31, 2020; property owners will decide whether to fund
678-410: A French financial institution. This pilot featured acoustic tones as a means of authentication. Although Complex Cards were developed since the inception of the smart card industry, they only reached maturity after 2010. Complex Cards can accommodate various peripherals including: While first generation Complex Cards were battery powered, the second generation is battery-free and receives power through
791-410: A battery-powered electric motor and regenerative brakes that power the battery when pressed, an LED lighting system used inside and outside of the vehicle, and a smoother ride for passengers since the electric motors do not require shifting. Due to rising gas prices at the time, COTA was concerned with reducing fuel emissions, which sparked the addition of the hybrid-electric buses. In 2011, COTA conducted
904-543: A body of water. A foot-passenger ferry with many stops is sometimes called a water bus . Ferries form a part of the public transport systems of many waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between points at a capital cost much lower than bridges or tunnels, though at a lower speed. Ship connections of much larger distances (such as over long distances in water bodies like the Mediterranean Sea ) may also be called ferry services. A report published by
1017-675: A bus operator check-in, pass sales offices, and ticket machines. The building is part of the High and Gay Streets Historic District , on the National Register of Historic Places . COTA's CEO and President was Joanna Pinkerton until 2024; she was replaced by Monica Tellez-Fowler on May 6, 2024. COTA's Board of Trustees are appointed for three-year terms by Franklin County, the City of Columbus, and suburbs of Columbus. The 2022-2025 board chair
1130-481: A card and reader. They are becoming more popular for payment and ticketing. Typical uses include mass transit and motorway tolls. Visa and MasterCard implemented a version deployed in 2004–2006 in the U.S., with Visa's current offering called Visa Contactless . Most contactless fare collection systems are incompatible, though the MIFARE Standard card from NXP Semiconductors has a considerable market share in
1243-534: A clean, neat look to the buses. The agency purchased its downtown office, the William J. Lhota Building , in 2008. Also in 2008, the city of Dublin was added into COTA service areas. In 2016, COTA introduced 4G connectivity in its buses, giving passengers better internet access and allowing for real-time bus tracking to improve communication and efficiency. Real-time bus tracking for passengers began in May 2016 through
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#17327766974391356-620: A completely CNG fleet will be a 12-year process that will occur as coaches are retired and replaced, and additional coaches are purchased as part of COTA's ongoing service expansion program. The transition required remodeling with upgrades for CNG at several COTA facilities including a second CNG fueling station at its Fields Avenue Fixed-Route Bus Facility. 39°57′45″N 82°59′57″W / 39.962453°N 82.999294°W / 39.962453; -82.999294 Public transit Public transport (also known as public transportation , public transit , mass transit , or simply transit )
1469-424: A credit or debit card, used as a security feature for card-not-present (CNP) payment card transactions to reduce the incidence of fraud. The Card Security Code (CSC) is to be given to the merchant by the cardholder to complete a card-not-present transaction. The CSC is transmitted along with other transaction data and verified by the card issuer. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) prohibits
1582-420: A decline in public transport usage. A number of sources attribute this trend to the rise in popularity of remote work, ride-sharing services, and car loans being relatively cheap across many countries. Major cities such as Toronto, Paris, Chicago, and London have seen this decline and have attempted to intervene by cutting fares and encouraging new modes of transportation, such as e-scooters and e-bikes. Because of
1695-552: A few stops per city. These services may also be international. High-speed rail is passenger trains operating significantly faster than conventional rail—typically defined as at least 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph). The most predominant systems have been built in Europe and East Asia, and compared with air travel, offer long-distance rail journeys as quick as air services, have lower prices to compete more effectively and use electricity instead of combustion. Urban rail transit
1808-856: A new fare system, based on the Transit app , which caps fares at $ 4.50 per day or $ 62 per month. The agency is also transitioning to cash-free fares, though it added about 400 retailers in Central Ohio into a network, allowing riders to add cash to their accounts at the retail stores. In 2023, COTA staff presented their five-year plan to the agency's board. The plan will cost $ 1.2 billion and will include new rapid transit corridors, regional funding for sidewalks, bike infrastructure, greenways and other related upgrades, new bus routes, additional electric buses, 60-foot-long buses, higher frequency, longer service hours, and additional transit shelters and facilities. Also in 2023, COTA's board approved resolutions advancing
1921-535: A notice stating unauthorized access to magnetic strips costing Target over 300 million dollars along with the increasing cost of online credit theft was enough for the United States to invest in the technology. The adaptation of EMV's increased significantly in 2015 when the liability shifts occurred in October by the credit card companies. Contactless smart cards do not require physical contact between
2034-532: A plastic card in the late 1960s. The idea of incorporating an integrated circuit chip onto a plastic card was first introduced by the German engineer Helmut Gröttrup . In February 1967, Gröttrup filed the patents DE1574074 and DE1574075 in West Germany for a tamper-proof identification switch based on a semiconductor device and described contactless communication via inductive coupling. Its primary use
2147-676: A railway with freight trains . A rapid transit railway system (also called a metro, underground, heavy rail, or subway) operates in an urban area with high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Heavy rail is a high-capacity form of rail transit, with 4 to 10 units forming a train, and can be the most expensive form of transit to build. Modern heavy rail systems are mostly driverless, which allows for higher frequencies and less maintenance cost. Systems are able to transport large numbers of people quickly over short distances with little land use. Variations of rapid transit include people movers , small-scale light metro and
2260-497: A rainwater harvesting system which captures and stores the water for use by the bus wash and toilets. The landscape was also designed to be low maintenance and to not require an irrigation system. Additionally, the HVAC system was built below-floor providing both heat and air conditioning, which reduces the heat or cool air lost when traveling through typical air ducts. Payment is available on board with exact change, purchased bus passes,
2373-736: A refillable smart card, or through COTA's Connector app. Passes can be purchased at COTA's downtown office, the Spring Street Terminal, John Glenn International Airport, the Columbus State Community College Bookstore, or at supermarkets throughout Central Ohio. In 2021, COTA is transitioning to a cash-free system, based on the Transit app . About 400 retail stores in Central Ohio are or will be available to add cash to customer accounts. The Transit app has fare capping , so users will not pay over $ 4.50 per day or $ 62 per calendar month. Users of
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#17327766974392486-480: A set of trolley poles for mobility. Online Electric Vehicles are buses that run on a conventional battery, but are recharged frequently at certain points via underground wires. Certain types of buses, styled after old-style streetcars, are also called trackless trolleys, but are built on the same platforms as a typical diesel , CNG , or hybrid bus; these are more often used for tourist rides than commuting and tend to be privately owned. Passenger rail transport
2599-412: A single (or return) trip, or valid within a certain area for a period of time (see transit pass ). The fare is based on the travel class, either depending on the traveled distance, or based on zone pricing . The tickets may have to be shown or checked automatically at the station platform or when boarding, or during the ride by a conductor . Operators may choose to control all riders, allowing sale of
2712-406: A single location. The facility cost $ 21.7 million, with 85 percent of the cost federally funded. The Mobility Services Facility holds 110 paratransit vehicles, 6 vehicle maintenance bays, administrative offices, an eligibility assessment center, one bus wash, and two fueling islands. The building relies heavily on natural light, reducing its dependence on artificial lighting. The building also contains
2825-413: A smaller suburban or town center. The stations are often combined with shuttle bus or park and ride systems. Frequency may be up to several times per hour, and commuter rail systems may either be part of the national railway or operated by local transit agencies. Common forms of commuter rail employ either diesel electric locomotives, or electric multiple unit trains. Some commuter train lines share
2938-406: A static CSC. The first generation of Dynamic CSC cards, developed by NagraID Security required a battery, a quartz and Real Time Clock (RTC) embedded within the card to power the computation of a new Dynamic CSC, after expiration of the programmed period. The second generation of Dynamic CSC cards, developed by Ellipse World, Inc., does not require any battery, quartz, or RTC to compute and display
3051-574: A station and exchange passengers. There is often a potential conflict between this objective and optimising the utilisation of vehicles and drivers. The main sources of financing are ticket revenue, government subsidies and advertising. The percentage of revenue from passenger charges is known as the farebox recovery ratio . A limited amount of income may come from land development and rental income from stores and vendors, parking fees, and leasing tunnels and rights-of-way to carry fiber optic communication lines. Most—but not all—public transport requires
3164-483: A study to consider the potential benefits of switching to compressed natural gas (CNG) to power its fixed-route bus fleet. The study compared costs of CNG versus diesel fuel, operational and maintenance expenses, market forces, and infrastructure costs. In keeping with COTA's "Going Green" program, environmental impacts, particularly emissions, were also evaluated. COTA officials also visited and studied other public transit systems operating CNG fleets. In late 2011, COTA made
3277-405: A third COTA worker testing positive, it announced all late-night and early hours would be cut, making all services only run from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ridership is down about 65 percent from before the virus. On May 2, as a portion of businesses began to reopen, COTA announced it will resume some early-morning services on May 5. From May 30 to June 8, COTA rerouted service around downtown Columbus due to
3390-431: A tram line. Light rail lines are, thus, essentially modernized interurbans . Unlike trams, light rail trains are often longer and have one to four cars per train. Somewhere between light and heavy rail in terms of carbon footprint , monorail systems usually use overhead single tracks, either mounted directly on the track supports or put in an overhead design with the train suspended. Monorail systems are used throughout
3503-522: A wide variety of components. The choice of components drives functionality, influences cost, power supply needs, and manufacturing complexity. Depending on Complex Card types, buttons have been added to allow an easy interaction between the user and the card. Typically, these buttons are used to: While separate keys have been used on prototypes in the early days, capacitive keyboards are the most popular solution now, thanks to technology developments by AudioSmartCard International SA. The interaction with
Central Ohio Transit Authority - Misplaced Pages Continue
3616-460: Is Marlon Moore, appointed by the City of Columbus. The agency is staffed with about 1,120 employees, including about 700 operators (bus drivers). The Central Ohio Transit Authority operates 3,500 bus stops, 350 of which have shelters. The agency operates four transit centers: Easton Transit Center, Linden Transit Center, Northland Transit Center, and Near East Transit Center. It operates two downtown bus terminals: Spring Street (North) Terminal and
3729-801: Is a card used to control access to a resource. It is typically a plastic credit card-sized card with an embedded integrated circuit (IC) chip. Many smart cards include a pattern of metal contacts to electrically connect to the internal chip. Others are contactless , and some are both. Smart cards can provide personal identification, authentication, data storage, and application processing. Applications include identification, financial, public transit, computer security, schools, and healthcare. Smart cards may provide strong security authentication for single sign-on (SSO) within organizations. Numerous nations have deployed smart cards throughout their populations. The universal integrated circuit card (UICC) for mobile phones, installed as pluggable SIM card or embedded eSIM ,
3842-659: Is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport , typically managed on a schedule, operated on established routes, and that may charge a posted fee for each trip. There is no rigid definition of which kinds of transport are included, and air travel is often not thought of when discussing public transport—dictionaries use wording like "buses, trains, etc." Examples of public transport include city buses , trolleybuses , trams (or light rail ) and passenger trains , rapid transit (metro/subway/underground, etc.) and ferries . Public transport between cities
3955-507: Is a term used for buses operating on dedicated right-of-way, much like a light rail. Coach services use coaches (long-distance buses) for suburb-to-CBD or longer-distance transportation. The vehicles are normally equipped with more comfortable seating, a separate luggage compartment, video and possibly also a toilet. They have higher standards than city buses, but a limited stopping pattern. Trolleybuses are electrically powered buses that receive power from overhead power line by way of
4068-496: Is a transit technology that moves people in motor-less, engine-less vehicles that are propelled by a steel cable. There are two sub-groups of CPT— gondola lifts and cable cars (railway) . Gondola lifts are supported and propelled from above by cables, whereas cable cars are supported and propelled from below by cables. While historically associated with usage in ski resorts , gondola lifts are now finding increased consumption and utilization in many urban areas—built specifically for
4181-401: Is also a type of smart card. As of 2015 , 10.5 billion smart card IC chips are manufactured annually, including 5.44 billion SIM card IC chips. The basis for the smart card is the silicon integrated circuit (IC) chip. It was invented by Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor in 1959. The invention of the silicon integrated circuit led to the idea of incorporating it onto
4294-421: Is an all-encompassing term for various types of local rail systems, such as these examples trams , light rail , rapid transit , people movers , commuter rail , monorail , suspension railways and funiculars . Commuter rail is part of an urban area's public transport. It provides faster services to outer suburbs and neighboring satellite cities . Trains stop at train stations that are located to serve
4407-492: Is another fare option for people under the age of 17, allowing access to COTA services for the months of June, July, and August for a single $ 62 fee. Bus service is free during or after severe snowstorms for the duration of the day, announced when the Franklin County Sheriff declares level 2 or level 3 snow emergencies. COTA bus service has also been made temporarily free during other emergencies, including at
4520-484: Is common with roads for automobiles. Interchanges are locations where passengers can switch from one public transport route to another. This may be between vehicles of the same mode (like a bus interchange), or e.g. between bus and train. It can be between local and intercity transport (such as at a central station or airport). Timetables (or 'schedules' in North American English ) are provided by
4633-610: Is dominated by airlines , coaches , and intercity rail . High-speed rail networks are being developed in many parts of the world. Most public transport systems run along fixed routes with set embarkation/disembarkation points to a prearranged timetable, with the most frequent services running to a headway (e.g.: "every 15 minutes" as opposed to being scheduled for any specific time of the day). However, most public transport trips include other modes of travel, such as passengers walking or catching bus services to access train stations. Share taxis offer on-demand services in many parts of
Central Ohio Transit Authority - Misplaced Pages Continue
4746-430: Is especially valuable in cases where there are capacity problems for private transport. Investments in infrastructure are expensive and make up a substantial part of the total costs in systems that are new or expanding. Once built, the infrastructure will require operating and maintenance costs, adding to the total cost of public transport. Sometimes governments subsidize infrastructure by providing it free of charge, just as
4859-527: Is less harmful to the environment than traditional PVC cards. Smart cards are also being introduced for identification and entitlement by regional, national, and international organizations. These uses include citizen cards, drivers’ licenses, and patient cards. In Malaysia , the compulsory national ID MyKad enables eight applications and has 18 million users. Contactless smart cards are part of ICAO biometric passports to enhance security for international travel. Complex Cards are smart cards that conform to
4972-656: Is reasonably comfortable (seats, toilets, services), and can thus be scheduled and used pleasurably, productively or for (overnight) rest. Chauffeured movement is enjoyed by many people when it is relaxing, safe, but not too monotonous. Waiting, interchanging, stops and holdups, for example due to traffic or for security, are discomforting. Jet lag is a human constraint discouraging frequent rapid long-distance east–west commuting, favoring modern telecommunications and VR technologies. An airline provides scheduled service with aircraft between airports. Air travel has high speeds, but incurs large waiting times before and after travel, and
5085-559: Is that new information is transmitted with the payment transactions, thus making it useless for a potential fraudster to memorize or store it. A transaction with a Dynamic Card Security Code is carried out exactly the same way, with the same processes and use of parameters as a transaction with a static code in a card-not-present transaction. Upgrading to a DCSC allows cardholders and merchants to continue their payment habits and processes undisturbed. Complex Cards can be equipped with biometric sensors allowing for stronger user authentication. In
5198-444: Is the conveyance of passengers by means of wheeled vehicles specially designed to run on railways. Trains allow high capacity at most distance scales, but require track , signalling , infrastructure and stations to be built and maintained resulting in high upfront costs. Intercity rail is long-haul passenger services that connect multiple urban areas. They have few stops, and aim at high average speeds, typically only making one of
5311-721: Is therefore often only feasible over longer distances or in areas where a lack of surface infrastructure makes other modes of transport impossible. Bush airlines work more similarly to bus stops; an aircraft waits for passengers and takes off when the aircraft is full. Bus services use buses on conventional roads to carry numerous passengers on shorter journeys. Buses operate with low capacity (compared with trams or trains), and can operate on conventional roads, with relatively inexpensive bus stops to serve passengers. Therefore, buses are commonly used in smaller cities, towns, and rural areas, and for shuttle services supplementing other means of transit in large cities. Bus rapid transit (BRT)
5424-609: The COVID-19 pandemic began affecting Ohio, ridership dropped approximately 40 percent. COTA introduced several measures in mid-March, including thorough cleaning measures, suspending fare collection, reducing all rush hour lines, and suspending its AirConnect and Night Owl services. On March 20, the agency recommended only using its services for essential travel; two days later it shut down several rush hour services and reduced frequencies of nine crosstown lines. On March 24, it stopped all rush hour services until further notice. On March 26,
5537-503: The COVID-19 pandemic . In 2012, the agency purchased its first mobile emergency operations center, allowing it to operate alongside and coordinate with other mobile operations centers during crises. The agency is headquartered in the William J. Lhota Building in downtown Columbus. COTA purchased the building in 2008, and named it for Lhota, its former CEO, in 2012. The 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m) building holds administrative offices,
5650-474: The ISO/IEC 14443 standard, and magstripe. Developers of Complex Cards target several needs when developing them: A Complex Card can be used to compute a cryptographic value, such as a One-time password . The One-Time Password is generated by a cryptoprocessor encapsulated in the card. To implement this function, the crypto processor must be initialized with a seed value, which enables the identification of
5763-459: The ISO/IEC 7810 standard and include components in addition to those found in traditional single chip smart cards. Complex Cards were invented by Cyril Lalo and Philippe Guillaud in 1999 when they designed a chip smart card with additional components, building upon the initial concept consisting of using audio frequencies to transmit data patented by Alain Bernard. The first Complex Card prototype
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#17327766974395876-548: The LinkUS project for bus rapid transit corridors. CMAX , a bus rapid transit service, runs along Cleveland Avenue from downtown to Westerville . The limited-stop service is estimated to be 20 percent faster than conventional service, using dedicated bus lanes during rush hours, and utilizing transit signal priority . The buses have USB charging ports; the stops have real-time information screens and some feature local art. The service began operation on January 1, 2018. CMAX
5989-404: The Transit app. On May 1, 2017, the agency overhauled its bus network, the first redesign since COTA's establishment in 1971. The effort simplified routes, increased bus frequency, connected more locations, and reduced bus congestion in downtown Columbus. The redesign doubled the agency's number of frequent lines (from four to eight) and significantly increased weekend service. The project caused
6102-470: The city's George Floyd protests . On June 3, the agency gave a statement regarding its police transport activities during the protests. It had been criticized on social media, and responded that it is committed to breaking down institutional racism , and that its police transport role has been longstanding as part of its emergency service roles. The agency noted that it is not transporting arrested protesters as some agencies have been. In 2021, COTA introduced
6215-482: The stagecoaches traveling a fixed route between coaching inns , and the horse-drawn boat carrying paying passengers, which was a feature of European canals from the 17th century onwards. The canal itself as a form of infrastructure dates back to antiquity. In ancient Egypt canals were used for freight transportation to bypass the Aswan cataract. The Chinese also built canals for water transportation as far back as
6328-851: The warring States period which began in the 5th century BCE. Whether or not those canals were used for for-hire public transport remains unknown; the Grand Canal in China (begun in 486 BCE) served primarily the grain trade . The bus , the first organized public transit system within a city, appears to have originated in Paris in 1662, although the service in question, Carrosses à cinq sols (English: five-sol coaches), which have been developed by mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal , lasted only fifteen years until 1677. Buses are known to have operated in Nantes in 1826. The public bus transport system
6441-595: The Arimura Technology Institute in Japan developed a similar idea of incorporating an integrated circuit onto a plastic card, and filed a smart card patent in March 1970. The following year, Paul Castrucci of IBM filed an American patent titled "Information Card" in May 1971. In 1974 Roland Moreno patented a secured memory card later dubbed the "smart card". In 1976, Jürgen Dethloff introduced
6554-669: The C-Pass employee program can use a mobile app or dedicated swipe card to board free. Riders eligible to receive special IDs giving them discount fares include people over the age of 65, people with certain disabilities, Medicare cardholders, and qualified veterans. Children under the age of 12 who are 4 feet tall or taller are eligible for discount pricing. Children below 4 ft (1.22 m) ride for free with fare-paying rider; limit three children. Students of Ohio State University , Capital University , Columbus College of Art and Design , and Columbus City Schools can swipe their student ID cards to board for free. COTA's summer youth pass
6667-560: The COTA Connector system for fare payments. The system includes a smart card that is available for purchase and refills, and a digital wallet through a smartphone app, allowing the use of displayed QR codes to pay when boarding buses. In 2020, COTA reported 19.1 million riders in 2019, the system's highest ridership since 1988. Ridership had been steadily increasing over several decades, due to rising gas prices, COTA's bus network redesign, and other improvements. In March 2020, as
6780-574: The COTA Transit (South) Terminal. The agency also operates 25 park and ride facilities. COTA's Mobility Services Facility is located at 1330 Fields Avenue in Columbus. COTA's Mainstream demand-response program moved into the then-new, sustainable 104,000-square-foot (9,700 m) facility in January 2011. The paratransit facility houses all of its operations, maintenance, and administration in
6893-783: The COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2021, COTA announced that the service will not return. COTA Plus, stylized as COTA//PLUS, is a microtransit service in Grove City and northeast Franklin County . The service enables people to use a mobile app or call COTA's customer service to arrange a trip within service zones created for Grove City and northeast Franklin County. Fares are different than fixed-route COTA services, with single fares at $ 3, day passes at $ 6, and weekly passes at $ 20. C-Pass holders, university students, children, and those with discount IDs receive free or reduced fares relative to their eligibility for other COTA services. The service
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#17327766974397006-437: The City of Columbus operated a temporary busway on Third Street in downtown Columbus from July 22 to August 2, 2019 in an area heavily congested during rush hour. The results were significantly decreased travel times, the average dropping over two minutes from Long Street to Noble Street. The project was inspired by the city of Boston converting a bike lane and on-street parking into a temporary busway. Also in 2019, COTA introduced
7119-489: The EMV system was released in 1994. In 1998 the specifications became stable. EMVCo maintains these specifications. EMVco's purpose is to assure the various financial institutions and retailers that the specifications retain backward compatibility with the 1998 version. EMVco upgraded the specifications in 2000 and 2004. EMV compliant cards were first accepted into Malaysia in 2005 and later into United States in 2014. MasterCard
7232-507: The EMV technology in 2014, with the deployment still in progress in 2019. Typically, a country's national payment association, in coordination with MasterCard International, Visa International, American Express and Japan Credit Bureau (JCB), jointly plan and implement EMV systems. Historically, in 1993 several international payment companies agreed to develop smart-card specifications for debit and credit cards. The original brands were MasterCard, Visa, and Europay . The first version of
7345-592: The Franklin County Emergency Operations Center, COTA provides transit for emergency services workers like Columbus police and firefighters, evacuating victims of flooding, fires, and other emergencies, and as a cooling center and warming center for firefighters in emergencies. Recent emergency actions have included transport of police during the George Floyd protests and transit service as an essential operation during
7458-567: The Marines corps (USMC) at Parris Island allowing small amount payments at the cafeteria. Since the 1990s, smart cards have been the subscriber identity modules (SIMs) used in GSM mobile-phone equipment. Mobile phones are widely used across the world, so smart cards have become very common. Europay MasterCard Visa (EMV)-compliant cards and equipment are widespread with the deployment led by European countries. The United States started later deploying
7571-515: The Netherlands many individuals use e-bikes to replace their car commutes. In major American cities, start-up companies such as Uber and Lyft have implemented e-scooters as a way for people to take short trips around the city. All public transport runs on infrastructure, either on roads, rail, airways or seaways. The infrastructure can be shared with other modes, freight and private transport, or it can be dedicated to public transport. The latter
7684-623: The OTPs respective of each card. The hash of seed value has to be stored securely within the card to prevent unauthorized prediction of the generated OTPs. One-Time Passwords generation is based either on incremental values (event based) or on a real time clock (time based). Using clock-based One-Time Password generation requires the Complex Card to be equipped with a Real-time clock . Complex Cards used to generate One Time Password have been developed for: A Complex Card with buttons can display
7797-487: The Télécarte, microchips were integrated into all French Carte Bleue debit cards in 1992. Customers inserted the card into the merchant's point-of-sale (POS) terminal, then typed the personal identification number (PIN), before the transaction was accepted. Only very limited transactions (such as paying small highway tolls ) are processed without a PIN. Smart-card-based " electronic purse " systems store funds on
7910-543: The UK National Infrastructure Commission in 2018 states that "cycling is mass transit and must be treated as such." Cycling infrastructure is normally provided without charge to users because it is cheaper to operate than mechanised transit systems that use sophisticated equipment and do not use human power . Many cities around the world have introduced electric bikes and scooters to their public transport infrastructure. For example, in
8023-508: The US and Europe. Use of "Contactless" smart cards in transport has also grown through the use of low cost chips NXP Mifare Ultralight and paper/card/PET rather than PVC. This has reduced media cost so it can be used for low cost tickets and short term transport passes (up to 1 year typically). The cost is typically 10% that of a PVC smart card with larger memory. They are distributed through vending machines, ticket offices and agents. Use of paper/PET
8136-539: The addition of the CBUS free downtown circulator, which ran from 2014 until 2020, its AirConnect airport service in 2016, and the CMAX bus rapid transit service in 2018. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic , the agency dealt with declining ridership and staffing, and cut services in response. COTA nevertheless plans to operate several bus rapid transit lines in development in the near future. Prior to COTA's founding, bus service in
8249-483: The agency began "dynamic service" to pick up customers left at bus stops by too-full buses; the agency's current policy is for a maximum of 20 passengers per bus. On March 28, a COTA bus operator tested positive for the virus. On March 30, COTA suspended service on routes 21, 25, and 35. On April 7, a second driver tested positive for the disease. On the 11th, the agency announced it will require passengers to wear face masks. On April 27, following further route reductions and
8362-493: The area was managed by the privately owned Columbus Transit Company (CTC). In 1971 the CTC was in the midst of budget problems, so in order to maintain bus service in the area, the local governments of central Ohio created COTA. COTA acquired the assets from the CTC on January 1, 1974 and began operations the same day. COTA acquired the CTC bus service for $ 4.8 million. In mid-1974 COTA established its Park & Ride program and sets up
8475-404: The balance of one or multiple account(s) linked to the card. Typically, either one button is used to display the balance in the case of a single account card or, in the case of a card linked to multiple accounts, a combination of buttons is used to select a specific account's balance. For additional security, features such as requiring the user to enter an identification or a security value such as
8588-413: The beginning and height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A variety of buses make up COTA's fleet. As of 2020 there are 492 vehicles in operation: 212 hybrid or CNG buses, 109 diesel-fueled buses, 12 COTA Plus vehicles, 74 COTA Mainstream vehicles, and 85 COTA Mainstream On-Demand vehicles. In June 2010 COTA introduced six hybrid buses, which offered a 48 percent increase in fuel efficiency over its diesel buses,
8701-611: The card, so that readers do not need network connectivity. They entered European service in the mid-1990s. They have been common in Germany ( Geldkarte ), Austria ( Quick Wertkarte ), Belgium ( Proton ), France ( Moneo ), the Netherlands ( Chipknip Chipper (decommissioned in 2015)), Switzerland ("Cash"), Norway (" Mondex "), Spain ("Monedero 4B"), Sweden ("Cash", decommissioned in 2004), Finland ("Avant"), UK ("Mondex"), Denmark ("Danmønt") and Portugal ("Porta-moedas Multibanco"). Private electronic purse systems have also been deployed such as
8814-713: The commuter rail hybrid S-Bahn . More than 160 cities have rapid transit systems, totalling more than 8,000 km (4,971 mi) of track and 7,000 stations. Twenty-five cities have systems under construction. People movers are a special term for grade-separated rail which uses vehicles that are smaller and shorter in size. These systems are generally used only in a small area such as a theme park or an airport. Trams (also known as streetcars or trolleys) are railborne vehicles that originally ran in city streets, though over decades more and more dedicated tracks are used. They have higher capacity than buses, but must follow dedicated infrastructure with rails and wires either above or below
8927-447: The day or part of the day (known as clock-face scheduling ). Often, more frequent services or even extra routes are operated during the morning and evening rush hours . Coordination between services at interchange points is important to reduce the total travel time for passengers. This can be done by coordinating shuttle services with main routes, or by creating a fixed time (for instance twice per hour) when all bus and rail routes meet at
9040-590: The decision to move forward with the transition to CNG and updated existing plans for the renovation of the McKinley Operations facility to include CNG compatible modifications. COTA completed a $ 76 million renovation of its McKinley Avenue Fixed-Route Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility. The 400,000 sq ft (37,000 m) facility is the larger and older (completed in 1974) of its two fixed-route operations facilities. In May 2013, COTA began operating its first set of CNG buses. The transition to
9153-574: The first routes at area shopping centers. At that time, cash fares were 50 cents. In 1975, COTA launched the Key Card program, which provided a discount fare for those passengers with disabilities. By the summer of 1976, COTA had established 50 bus shelters. In 1977, COTA started the Commuter Club that offered unlimited riding for $ 20 a month. One of the first express bus services, the Beeline,
9266-694: The known element (called "the secret") to identify gate user as of USP 4105156. In 1977, Michel Ugon from Honeywell Bull invented the first microprocessor smart card with two chips : one microprocessor and one memory , and in 1978, he patented the self-programmable one-chip microcomputer (SPOM) that defines the necessary architecture to program the chip. Three years later, Motorola used this patent in its "CP8". At that time, Bull had 1,200 patents related to smart cards. In 2001, Bull sold its CP8 division together with its patents to Schlumberger , who subsequently combined its own internal smart card department and CP8 to create Axalto . In 2006, Axalto and Gemplus, at
9379-456: The location of their choice (rather than at a stop). Conventional transit simulations show that PRT might attract many auto users in problematic medium-density urban areas. A number of experimental systems are in progress. One might compare personal rapid transit to the more labor-intensive taxi or paratransit modes of transportation, or to the (by now automated) elevators common in many publicly accessible areas. Cable-propelled transit (CPT)
9492-400: The lost time and statistically higher risk of accident in private transport , together with the initial, running and parking costs. Loss of control , spatial constriction, overcrowding , high speeds/accelerations, height and other phobias may discourage use of public transport. Actual travel time on public transport becomes a lesser consideration when predictable and when travel itself
9605-542: The new dynamic code. Instead, the card obtains its power either through the usual card connector or by induction during every EMV transaction from the Point of Sales (POS) terminal or Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to compute a new DCSC. The Dynamic CSC, also called dynamic cryptogram, is marketed by several companies, under different brand names: The advantage of the Dynamic Card Security Code (DCSC)
9718-528: The next buses to arrive. The CBUS was a free downtown circulator traveled along High Street between the Brewery District and German Village north through the Short North . The service had uniquely branded 30-foot buses stopping at round "CBUS" signs. The service operated every 10–15 minutes, seven days per week. The service began operation on May 5, 2014, and was ended in March 2020 during
9831-500: The number of remaining trips or the expiry date of a transit pass can be displayed. A Complex Card being deployed as a payment card can be equipped with capability to provide transaction security. Typically, online payments are made secure thanks to the Card Security Code (CSC) , also known as card verification code (CVC2), or card verification value (CVV2). The card security code (CSC) is a 3 or 4 digits number printed on
9944-481: The program further. In July 2019, the agency's customer service center at its headquarters closed for renovations. The project involved creating a larger, more inviting space, installing new ticket machines and a large display with transit information, and redesigning part of the building's exterior. The agency opened the new Customer Experience Center in November 2019. In the first "tactical urbanism" project COTA and
10057-492: The public transport leg of their journey and how close it leaves them to their desired destination. Timeliness is how long they must wait for the vehicle. Directness records how far a journey using public transport deviates from a passenger's ideal route. In selecting between competing modes of transport , many individuals are strongly motivated by direct cost (travel fare/ ticket price to them) and convenience , as well as being informed by habit . The same individual may accept
10170-481: The purchase of a ticket to generate revenue for the operators. Tickets may be bought either in advance, or at the time of the journey, or the carrier may allow both methods. Passengers may be issued with a paper ticket, a metal or plastic token , or a magnetic or electronic card ( smart card , contactless smart card ). Sometimes a ticket has to be validated, e.g. a paper ticket has to be stamped, or an electronic ticket has to be checked in. Tickets may be valid for
10283-619: The purposes of mass transit. Many, if not all, of these systems are implemented and fully integrated within existing public transportation networks. Examples include Metrocable (Medellín) , Metrocable (Caracas) , Mi Teleférico in La Paz , Portland Aerial Tram , Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York City, and the London Cable Car . A ferry is a boat used to carry (or ferry ) passengers, and sometimes their vehicles, across
10396-615: The reduced emissions and other environmental impacts of using public transportation over private transportation, many experts have pointed to an increased investment in public transit as an important climate change mitigation tactic. Conveyances designed for public hire are as old as the first ferry service . The earliest public transport was water transport . Ferries appear in Greek mythology writings. The mystical ferryman Charon had to be paid and would only then take passengers to Hades . Some historical forms of public transport include
10509-482: The smart chip technology to protect itself from future credit card identity theft. Before 2014, the consensus in America was that there were enough security measures to avoid credit card theft and that the smart chip was not necessary. The cost of the smart chip technology was significant, which was why most of the corporations did not want to pay for it in the United States. The debate finally ended when Target sent out
10622-408: The smoke filled subway tunnels from the steam engines. In 1894, Boston built the first subway in the United States, an electric streetcar line in a 1.5-mile tunnel under Tremont Street's retail district. Other cities quickly followed, constructing thousands of miles of subway in the following decades. In March 2020, Luxembourg abolished fares for trains, trams and buses and became the first country in
10735-594: The storage of the CSC by the merchant or any stakeholder in the payment chain. Although designed to be a security feature, the static CSC is susceptible to fraud as it can easily be memorized by a shop attendant, who could then use it for fraudulent online transactions or sale on the dark web. This vulnerability has led the industry to develop a Dynamic Card Security Code (DCSC) that can be changed at certain time intervals, or after each contact or contactless EMV transaction. This Dynamic CSC brings significantly better security than
10848-420: The ticket at the time of ride. Alternatively, a proof-of-payment system allows riders to enter the vehicles without showing the ticket, but riders may or may not be controlled by a ticket controller ; if the rider fails to show proof of payment, the operator may fine the rider at the magnitude of the fare. Smart card A smart card ( SC ), chip card , or integrated circuit card ( ICC or IC card ),
10961-530: The time the world's top two smart-card manufacturers, merged and became Gemalto . In 2008, Dexa Systems spun off from Schlumberger and acquired Enterprise Security Services business, which included the smart-card solutions division responsible for deploying the first large-scale smart-card management systems based on public key infrastructure (PKI). The first mass use of the cards was as a telephone card for payment in French payphones , starting in 1983. After
11074-504: The track, limiting their flexibility. In the United States, trams were commonly used prior to the 1930s, before being superseded by the bus. In modern public transport systems, they have been reintroduced in the form of the light rail. Light rail is a term coined in 1972 and uses mainly tram technology. Light rail has mostly dedicated right-of-ways and less sections shared with other traffic and usually step-free access. Light rails line are generally traversed with increased speed compared to
11187-517: The transport operator to allow users to plan their journeys. They are often supplemented by maps and fare schemes to help travelers coordinate their travel. Online public transport route planners help make planning easier. Mobile apps are available for multiple transit systems that provide timetables and other service information and, in some cases, allow ticket purchase, some allowing to plan your journey, with time fares zones e.g. Services are often arranged to operate at regular intervals throughout
11300-437: The typical use case, fingerprint sensors are integrated into a payment card to bring a higher level of user authentication than a PIN. To implement user authentication using a fingerprint enabled smart card, the user has to authenticate himself/herself to the card by means of the fingerprint before starting a payment transaction. Several companies offer cards with fingerprint sensors, including: Complex Cards can incorporate
11413-408: The use and extent of public transport. The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is the international network for public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, scientific institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. It has over 1,900 members from more than 100 countries from all over the globe. In recent years, some high-wealth cities have seen
11526-442: The usual card connector and/or induction . Sound, generated by a buzzer, was the preferred means of communication for the first projects involving Complex Cards. Later, with the progress of displays, visual communication is now present in almost all Complex Cards. Complex Cards support all communication protocols present on regular smart cards: contact, thanks to a contact pad as defined ISO/IEC 7816 standard, contactless following
11639-536: The world (especially in Europe and east Asia , particularly Japan ), but apart from public transit installations in Las Vegas and Seattle, most North American monorails are either short shuttle services or privately owned services (With 150,000 daily riders, the Disney monorail systems used at their parks may be the most famous in the world). Personal rapid transit is an automated cab service that runs on rails or
11752-544: The world to make all public transport free. The Encyclopædia Britannica specifies that public transportation is within urban areas, but does not limit its discussion of the topic to urban areas. Seven criteria estimate the usability of different types of public transport and its overall appeal. The criteria are speed, comfort, safety, cost, proximity, timeliness and directness. Speed is calculated from total journey time including transfers. Proximity means how far passengers must walk or otherwise travel before they can begin
11865-745: The world, which may compete with fixed public transport lines, or complement them, by bringing passengers to interchanges. Paratransit is sometimes used in areas of low demand and for people who need a door-to-door service. Urban public transit differs distinctly among Asia, North America, and Europe. In Asia, profit-driven, privately owned and publicly traded mass transit and real estate conglomerates predominantly operate public transit systems. In North America, municipal transit authorities most commonly run mass transit operations. In Europe, both state-owned and private companies predominantly operate mass transit systems. For geographical, historical and economic reasons, differences exist internationally regarding
11978-732: Was built for 11 miles of track for the Union Passenger Railway in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1888. Electric streetcars could carry heavier passenger loads than predecessors, which reduced fares and stimulated greater transit use. Two years after the Richmond success, over thirty two thousand electric streetcars were operating in America. Electric streetcars also paved the way for the first subway system in America. Before electric streetcars, steam powered subways were considered. However, most people believed that riders would avoid
12091-459: Was created with $ 50 million in funding, primarily from the federal government. It was created to help reduce traffic congestion on Cleveland Avenue and bring economic activity to the area in and around Linden, a low-income neighborhood. The BRT line is the most modern in the transit system, with low-floor CNG buses painted red and blue, each with USB ports, and with bus shelters at each stop, many with local art and real-time countdown clocks, displaying
12204-434: Was developed collaboratively by Cyril Lalo and Philippe Guillaud, who were working at AudioSmartCard at the time, and Henri Boccia and Philippe Patrice, who were working at Gemplus . It was ISO 7810-compliant and included a battery, a piezoelectric buzzer, a button, and delivered audio functions, all within a 0.84mm thickness card. The Complex Card pilot, developed by AudioSmartCard, was launched in 2002 by Crédit Lyonnais ,
12317-649: Was first launched in Grove City in July 2019, and expanded with a three-month pilot to the northeast portion of Columbus and Franklin County in May 2020, following service reductions due to the 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic. COTA is directed by the Franklin County Emergency Management & Homeland Security agency to act as the county's primary transportation agency during emergencies. Through this longstanding agreement, on direction from
12430-469: Was intended to provide individual copy-protected keys for releasing the tapping process at unmanned gas stations. In September 1968, Gröttrup, together with Jürgen Dethloff as an investor, filed further patents for this identification switch, first in Austria and in 1969 as subsequent applications in the United States, Great Britain, West Germany and other countries. Independently, Kunitaka Arimura of
12543-461: Was introduced in 1979 giving passengers a speedy ride up and down High Street. That same year, planning began on COTA's 400,000-square-foot (37,000 m) operations center on McKinley Ave. In 1992, a 24-hour pass was introduced to allow riders unlimited trips to local and crosstown routes provided by COTA's new lift-equipped buses. From 2007 to 2008, the agency removed all exterior advertisements from its buses, citing diminishing ad revenue and desiring
12656-666: Was introduced to London in July 1829. The first passenger horse-drawn vehicle opened in 1806. It ran along the Swansea and Mumbles Railway . In 1825 George Stephenson built the Locomotion No 1 for the Stockton and Darlington Railway in northeast England, the first public steam railway in the world. The world's first steam-powered underground railway opened in London in 1863. The first successful electric streetcar
12769-401: Was the first company that was allowed to use the technology in the United States. The United States has felt pushed to use the technology because of the increase in identity theft . The credit card information stolen from Target in late 2013 was one of the largest indicators that American credit card information is not safe. Target made the decision on 30 April 2014 that it would try to implement
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