Hilliard is getting its first direct bus connection to Ohio State University and downtown Columbus when COTA launches Line 30 in September.

The new daily route will link Hilliard, Dublin, Upper Arlington and OSU's campus, giving suburban commuters and students a one-seat ride they've never had on the transit system. COTA's Short-Range Transit Plan and the Columbus Dispatch also list downtown Columbus as a destination on the line.

"We are planning to launch Line 30 this September," COTA spokesperson Jeff Pullin told NBC4. "So that will be a brand-new line that will go from Dublin to Hilliard to Upper Arlington and over to the Ohio State University, which really will help a lot of people be able to get to and from Ohio State's campus, from many of our suburbs."

The route has been in development for more than a year. COTA gathered public input on the proposed line at the Bob Crane Community Center in Upper Arlington in June 2025, and the City of Hilliard promoted the plan on its Facebook page in April. The Dispatch reported in May that Lines 72, 73 and 74 will be discontinued as part of the same service shakeup.

COTA has not published a specific start date within September or a detailed timetable for Line 30. Fare information has not been announced.

Residents who want details before the launch can attend COTA's September Service Changes Open House on Aug. 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Event Center C in the Bob Crane Community Center, 3200 Tremont Road, Upper Arlington, according to COTA. Staff will answer questions about Line 30 and changes to Line 1.

No additional public events have been announced before service begins.