ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞ´«Ã½

More building closures, cutting high school busing and potential staff cuts are on the horizon. The district laid out these possibilities and the district's finances in a series of three townhall workshop meetings in late October.

In Ohio the bus driver shortage is continuing in part because public schools must transport non-public school students.

Columbus spends about 6% of its $1.8 billion budget on transportation. At a committee meeting on Thursday, the school board recommended eliminating the requirement to transport students in grades 9 through 12.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority voted Monday to hire a firm to conduct the study. It currently costs $2 to ride a COTA bus, but some programs exist to give certain populations free or reduced rides.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority will start using funds this year to increase the frequency of buses and extend late night hours to midnight.

The nearly $500 million budget includes funding for more than 30 new bus drivers that will lead to increased frequency and allow COTA to eventually run until midnight.

The suit by parents of a student who lives in the Columbus school district said the schools are obligated to provide transportation.

The $6 billion the initiative would raise would fund the LinkUS bus rapid transit project. The system would streamline five bus lines with dedicated lanes including one route along West Broad Street and East Main Street.

The working group was put together after a deadly school bus crash in August in western Ohio killed an 11-year-old elementary student and injured more than 20 other kids on the first day of school.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority is launching two free initiatives to help underserved communities get to COVID-19 vaccination sites.The Ohio Department…