Midlands bus system gets millions in CARES Act grant for pandemic operations
The Midlands public transit system, The COMET, has received a federal grant for at least $13.6 million for operations amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration is providing the grant for the Columbia-area bus system through the federal CARES Act, which has provided billions of dollars in relief nationally as the pandemic has crippled the economy.
“We know many of our nation’s public transportation systems are facing extraordinary challenges and these funds will go a long way to assisting our transit industry partners in battling COVID-19,” FTA Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams said in a news release. “These federal funds will support operating assistance to transit agencies of all sizes providing essential travel and supporting transit workers across the country who are unable to work because of the public health emergency.”
The grant funding for The COMET will be used for continued operations during the pandemic, including for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning and disinfection.
