Moving around downtown Columbia, getting to town might become easier

Bus service in the capital city changes Friday with the arrival of two commuter lines designed to attract new and different riders.

The downtown Soda Cap Connector is designed to ferry workers to major employers, to attract people in the city center to ride to lunch or to transport out-of-town visitors to attractions.

The Blythewood Connector is the first attempt by the COMET bus system to persuade suburban commuters to leave their cars near their homes and ride a bus to downtown.

Both connectors will feature the newest, most high-tech buses the COMET has to offer, officials said. Each bus offers free WiFi, smartphone charging stations and fare payments, security cameras, voice recordings that announce each stop as well as cleaner, more quiet rides.

Soda Cap passengers may ride for free during a six-month pilot program. The Blythewood fare is $2.50 each way, though riders may use 31-day fare cards.

This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 2:32 PM.