No more free rides as COMET will reinstate fares on Columbia bus service
Starting in April, the COMET bus system in Columbia will once again charge riders fares.
Fees on the fixed route buses and the DART paratransit services will be reinstated beginning on April 12, Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority officials said Tuesday in a news release.
Both COMET and DART routes have been free to the public since March 2020, when COVID-19 testing began in South Carolina.
The downtown connector Soda Cap will be $1 for a basic fare, $.50 for discount half fare and $4 for basic all-day, according to the release.
Children under 6 can still ride for free on all services and seniors (65-and-older), people with disabilities, and kids from 6-18 years old are eligible for the discount half fare with proof of age, Medicare card, or the COMET Half Fare ID card, officials said.
“As more of our bus operators and the public receive their COVID vaccines, we are carefully returning to normal,” COMET Executive Director/CEO John Andoh said in the release. “We appreciate our riders’ patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the circumstances of the pandemic together.”
Another change involves how passengers get on the buses.
Since safety measures were put in place to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, passengers had boarded through the rear doors for the bus operators’ safety. Now, transparent barriers have been installed on all vehicles, and passengers will begin boarding through the front door on April 12, officials said.
The mask requirement will continue to be in effect along with one-way travel, according to the release.
Passengers taking advantage of the COMET’s “Don’t Miss Your Shot” campaign to receive their COVID-19 vaccine can still ride the fixed route buses and DART paratransit services to their appointments for free, officials said.
The updated fee schedules can be found on the COMET’s website.
This story was originally published March 30, 2021 at 12:46 PM.
