The Central Ohio Transit Authority's new Downtown circulator, dubbed Cbus, is to carry its first passengers today. There is no fee to ride the bus, which runs along High and Front streets between the Short North and the Brewery District.

The Central Ohio Transit Authority�s new Downtown circulator, dubbed Cbus, is to carry its first passengers today.

There is no fee to ride the bus, which runs along High and Front streets between the Short North and the Brewery District.

The bus runs faster than most COTA lines, with 10-minute frequencies at each stop during the day and 15-minute frequencies at night. If passengers time it right, they shouldn�t have to wait more than five minutes for a circulator bus, said CEO Curtis Stitt.

There will be no charge through December, and COTA then will re-evaluate whether it will charge for rides, he said.

The 5.4-mile route has 29 stops.

In August, COTA ordered six 30-foot buses for the circulator; five will run during peak times. The buses are shorter than other COTA buses, which are 35 feet to 40 feet.

COTA officials say they hope this circulator is more successful than a predecessor that was cut in 2004. Buses that were fashioned to resemble trolley cars carried passengers between the Short North and the former City Center mall during midday for 25 cents.

Operating the new service is estimated to cost $1.3 million a year. Stitt said at least 10 percent of the cost needs to be subsidized to keep the free fares.

rrouan@dispatch.com

@RickRouan