DRIVER QUARANTINED IMMEDIATELY AFTER POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST
(November 25, 2020) Columbia, SC – The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) announced that a driver who is employed by their subcontractor, RATP Dev USA, Inc., has today tested positive for the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. The driver last worked yesterday and operated routes 701/75, bus unit 802. The driver will continue to self-quarantine for 14 days and then be retested before being allowed return to work, pending a negative result. The COMET provides complimentary on-site COVID testing monthly for all staff and drivers in addition to employees exercising the option to test with a healthcare provider of their choosing.
The buses are being upgraded with plexiglass barriers between the drivers and passengers to minimize the possibility of any exposure. This implementation not only minimizes the likelihood of transmission, but also protects the bus operators from any assault. The bus is currently receiving deep disinfecting, or fogging. The administration building, which holds the driver’s lounge will also receive this disinfecting. Since the start of the pandemic, The COMET has put in place some of the most stringent cleaning and safety measures in the transit industry. Bus operators and staff are required to use the multiple temperature check stations, located in the administration building which houses the drivers’ lounge, upon reporting for their shift.
Increased disinfection of all vehicles and facilities has been implemented since the start of the pandemic and mandatory masks or face coverings to ride The COMET buses or enter facilities went into effect early this summer.
“We hope that as people celebrate the holidays, they continue to practice the safety guidelines established. As the pandemic evolves, we will continue to be transparent to protect the community and to do our part to reduce cases,” said John Andoh, Executive Director/CEO of The COMET. “Our protocols are also evolving as we continue to explore newer and better ways to ensure that we protect our staff and our passengers so they can continue to travel safely during the Thanksgiving holiday and beyond. The safety of our bus operators, our riders and the public is always top of mind.”
Temperature stations are set up in the administration lobby so that drivers and staff are checked daily before their shift.
“Along with the daily sanitizing of our facilities, the mandatory mask requirements and other measures, we believe we have done our best to reduce the possibility of spread,” added Andoh.
In line with the focus on the health and safety of its drivers, passengers and employees, The COMET established a process to notify the public if a customer-facing employee tests positive for COVID-19 for the purpose of contact tracing to minimize spread. Any concerned passengers who were on the affected routes may access low to no-cost community testing resources by visiting https://scdhec.gov/infectious-diseases/viruses/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-testing-locations for more information.
###
About The COMET: The COMET is a service of the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority and provides countywide public transit services on 34 fixed routes, five ReFlex services, vanpool service for commuters, subsidy programs with Uber and Lyft and DART for transportation to grocery stores and at night, ADA complementary paratransit service throughout Richland and portions of Lexington Counties and eight Blue Bike bikeshare stations in Downtown Columbia. The COMET transports approximately 2.8 million passenger trips a year on a fleet of more than 80 buses, vans and trolleys. Transit services are provided under contract with RATP Dev USA, Inc., Enterprise Holdings, Lyft, Uber and Bewegen. For additional The COMET information, please call (803) 255-7100, TDD/TTY: 711 through the relay service, email: [email protected] or visit www.catchthecomet.org.
Catch The COMET…We Will Take You There!
