Central Ohio Transit Authority and Ohio State University are moving bus access for eligible campus riders from the physical BuckID card to the Ohio State mobile app, allowing students, faculty and staff to scan a digital pass when they board
The feature, which became available Thursday, is open to eligible Ohio State students and to faculty and staff enrolled in COTA’s payroll-deduction bus-pass program. Riders can access the pass by opening the Ohio State app, selecting “For You” and then “COTA Ticket,” and scanning the QR code at boarding
The integration brings COTA access into an app already used for university services, eliminating the need for eligible riders to carry a separate physical credential for bus travel. Participants will continue to have unlimited access to COTA buses serving destinations across central Ohio, including downtown Columbus, the Short North, the Arena District and Easton Town Center
“At COTA, our goal is to make transit as simple as possible,” Sophia Mohr, COTA’s chief innovation and technology officer, said in a statement. “Now boarding a COTA bus is as easy as opening an app they use every day.”
- 230: Ohio State students, faculty and staff who participated in a Spring 2026 pilot of the app-based boarding system.
- Jan. 6, 2027: The date BuckIDs will no longer be accepted for COTA boarding. The physical cards will remain active during the fall transition period.
- No additional setup:Eligible users already have COTA access integrated into the Ohio State app, according to the organizations.
What it signals
The rollout is a relatively small change in the mechanics of boarding, but it illustrates how university mobile apps are increasingly becoming a digital front door for services once tied to physical campus IDs
For COTA, the app integration creates a more direct connection to a major group of regular transit users and reduces a point of friction for riders traveling between campus and the broader Columbus region. The effort also gives the transit authority a way to introduce mobile fare access without requiring riders to adopt a separate COTA app
Ohio State officials framed the move as part of an effort to consolidate everyday student services on mobile devices. “Students already manage so much of their university experience from their phones,” said Lynne Sanbe, Ohio State’s associate vice president and chief applications officer. “By integrating COTA access into the Ohio State app, we’re creating a more convenient, connected experience.”
COTA travel trainers will demonstrate the digital pass at Ohio State’s Buck-i-Frenzy on Aug. 24, from noon to 3:30 p.m. outside the Recreation and Physical Activity Center
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