The 15.6-mile route will serve customers every 10 minutes between Downtown Columbus and SR-161 during rush hours, with service to Polaris Parkway/Africa Road every 30 minutes.
Columbus’ Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) hosted a groundbreaking celebration for their CMAX Cleveland Avenue bus rapid transit (BRT) line.
The celebration, held at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center, included remarks from community leaders, and a ceremonial groundbreaking at the future location of a CMAX BRT station.
“We’re pleased to celebrate construction of CMAX, central Ohio’s first bus rapid transit line,” said COTA President/CEO W. Curtis Stitt. “The high-frequency service with improved travel times and upgraded customer amenities will enhance access to jobs, education and training opportunities, healthcare and other services in our community. CMAX will not only improve transportation in central Ohio, it has the potential to change lives.”
Launching in 2018, COTA’s first BRT line, CMAX, will connect more than 211,000 residents and 170,000 workers along Cleveland Avenue to jobs, healthcare and educational resources and encourage economic development in the corridor. The 15.6-mile route will serve customers every 10 minutes between Downtown Columbus and SR-161 during rush hours, with service to Polaris Parkway/Africa Road every 30 minutes.
Under this extension, Keolis will continue to manage and operate fixed-route bus service across the East Valley, serving communities including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, the town of Gilbert, parts of Phoenix, and the Gila River Indian Community.
The new network reflects extensive input from riders and the community through Reimagine DART on what matters most in public transit — and those priorities are reflected in the changes ahead.
While recognizing regional economic constraints and continuing to improve service, the budget increases the jurisdictional subsidy to less than 1.8%, significantly below the inflation rate and the 3% regional target, said agency officials.
Coalition leaders outline priorities for preserving bus funding, maintaining competitive grants, and ensuring flexibility for transit agencies nationwide.
In the coming months, the parties will develop an interlocal agreement for the city’s annexation into Community Transit’s district. The proposal will be considered by the Everett City Council and the Community Transit board this fall, said officials.
Two battery-electric buses entered service on Earth Day, with four additional vehicles expected to join the fleet this summer. Seven more buses are planned for the end of 2027, bringing Metro’s total zero-emission fleet to 13.
A 5% rise in deliveries and a surge in zero-emission buses signaled progress in 2025, but high costs, long lead times, and shifting funding priorities continue to cloud the outlook.
The agencies, San Diego MTS and NCTD - San Diego Railroad, which share a fare system (PRONTO), proposed the changes to help address their respective financial sustainability strategies.
The project was awarded under the Washington State Contract, enabling FAX to streamline its procurement processes while ensuring value and quality from an experienced transit solutions provider, said officials.