Upgrades end free bus rides for Ohio State alumni

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Ohio State University and the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) will soon upgrade fare collection technology on their buses, adding magnetic strips to student identification, requiring students to swipe their BuckIDs at the fare box as they board, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The change will put an end to alumni using old student i.d. cards to get free rides.

Current students pay $9 per quarter, collected by the university and forwarded to COTA, for unlimited bus rides. The upgrades are not intended specifically to ferret out former students, but to better monitor demand on routes. For the full story, click here.