THE COMET RELEASES VISION: 2020/COMPASS PROGRESS REPORT
Document details financial stewardship and fulfillment of commitment to the community.
(November 25, 2020) Columbia, SC – The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) is pleased to present the release of their Vision:2020/COMPASS progress report, which provides the Board of Directors, the Central Midlands community and other key stakeholders with an update on the advancements made by The COMET.
In 2010, The COMET’s Board of Directors adopted Vision: 2020, which served as the guiding framework for how The COMET was to operate. In June 2015, the Board of Directors adopted a five-year Strategic Plan, known as The COMPASS, to guide how public transit was to be provided for the next five years. This year, 2020, marks the final year of Vision: 2020 and the culmination of The COMPASS strategic plan. The results were combined into a single document which highlights the progress of the agency.
“I am proud to say that many of the actionable items in both these documents have been achieved. Continuously fulfilling our commitment to the community and demonstrating fiscal responsibility is our highest goal,” said John Andoh, Executive Director/CEO of The COMET. “I would like to especially commend The COMET Board and administrative staff for their interest and support of the delivery of the tasks in a responsible and progressive manner. It is their combined efforts which enabled the timely issuance of this report and continued provision of a quality transportation service product for all the Central Midlands to enjoy.”
Highlights include:
Fiscal responsibility and operational accountability
-More-
Ridership
Safety and Security
Creative Partnerships
The full report can be found attached and on the website here: THE COMET RELEASES VISION: 2020/COMPASS PROGRESS REPORT | The COMET - Central Midlands Transit (catchthecometsc.gov)
According to Andoh, next steps include a strategic review and planning process over the course of 2021 to update Vision: 2020 to Vision: 2030 and The COMPASS through 2025. Key efforts would involve determining a path forward for funding The COMET beyond 2029 when the Richland County Penny is expected to be fully expended and determining a reasonable mechanism to fund transit services and continuing to deliver a quality public transportation service with mobility options to the residents of Richland and Lexington Counties.
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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, Enterprise Holdings, Lyft, Uber and Bewegen. For additional The COMET information, please call (803) 255-7100, TDD/TTY: 711 through the relay service, email: info@catchthecomet.org or visit www.catchthecomet.org.
Catch The COMET…We Will Take You There!
