COMET ANNOUNCES EXPRESS ROUTE SERVICE CHANGES, EFFECTIVE MAY 7

(April 4, 2023) Columbia, SC – The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) announced that as of May 7, 2023, it would make service changes to Routes 93x and 44x.

Route 93x, an express route from Newberry, will be discontinued in its present form due to low ridership. Some local leaders agreed that there is a potential benefit of public transportation for area residents, but that more work was needed to develop a route which would be optimal for all. There is a plan to create a workgroup regarding a redesigned route between Columbia and Newberry and come back with a proposal to fund and promote ridership.

Route 44x, an express route from Sumter, will reduce service and eliminate the first full trip (inbound & outbound) occurring 5 a.m. outbound from COMET Central and 6:30 a.m. inbound from Sumter. Also eliminated will be the 5:15 p.m. outbound from COMET Central and 7:15 p.m. inbound from Sumter. The route will now only operate 2 round trips per day. These are the 6 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. outbound from COMET Central and 7:30 a.m. and 8:15 p.m. inbound from Sumter. The reason for the reduced service on 44X is due to a service coordination agreement with Santee-Wateree Regional Transportation Authority in Sumter.

The move is part of service efficiency measures approved by the Board of Directors at its last meeting March 22.

###