The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) Board of Trustees has adopted its new five-year strategic plan, the Moving Every Life Forward COTA Strategic Plan 2019-2024, that will enhance its services for all central Ohio residents.
The plan was a result of collaborative research, interviews and discussions with hundreds of individuals, community organizations, peer transit agencies, and COTA Board members and employees, delivering a diverse and innovative set of ideas to serve as the basis for transforming and advancing mobility in the region.
“COTA is a dynamic organization that is not only embracing change but delivering on the promise of improved services, and a commitment to diverse people, viewpoints and solutions,” said Trudy A. Bartley, chair of the COTA Board of Trustees. “With the adoption of this plan, our board is excited to help COTA develop and advance the next generation of mobility solutions that will connect residents to economic and social opportunities across central Ohio.”
As an innovative transit agency, COTA researches and embraces diverse ideas and mobility technologies that allow it to advance its services and deliver new benefits to the community.
“This is an exciting time for central Ohio and COTA, as Columbus and surrounding areas explode in population growth and economic opportunity,” said Joanna M. Pinkerton, COTA president and CEO. “COTA is an integral part of the social and economic wellbeing of the Central Ohio region, and with this plan, developed jointly with our employees’ involvement and input from community leaders, COTA is poised to focus our energy and priorities on providing services to move people to prosperity as our community grows and grapples with the implications for the need of additional mobility options.”
At the center of COTA’s Strategic Plan 2019-2024 is a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, which is of core importance to the organization. By embracing diverse and inclusive ideas, COTA will drive creativity, innovation and engagement across the organization, developing a stronger and more effective workforce and more comprehensive services to meet the needs of COTA’s customers.
In addition to a new vision of Moving Every Life Forward in Central Ohio, the plan also includes four guiding principles that link directly to equity, diversity and inclusion, and drive the initiatives that will make the plan a reality. Those are:
- Improve the Customer Experience: to serve current and future customers and deliver an experience that is easy to use, reliable and convenient.
- Provide Mobility Options: to enhance service delivery to customers through partnerships with innovative organizations.
- Prioritize the Use of Data and Analytics: to make better decisions, enhance services and enhance safety.
- Achieve Organizational Excellence: to make COTA employees focused, collaborative and innovative.
