COMET Central

COMET Central is a bus company in Columbia, SC, located at 1727 Sumter St. It holds a rating of 3.80 based on 349 reviews. The COMET, officially the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA), is a regional transportation authority formed by Richland County, City of Columbia, and Lexington County on April 24, 2000, by the Central Midlands Council of Governments. The COMET provides transit services on 47 fixed routes, 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 a Soda Cap Connector in Downtown Columbia. The COMET transports approximately 2.4 million passenger trips a year on a fleet of more than 90 buses, vans and trolleys. Transit services are provided under contract with RATP Dev USA, Inc., Enterprise Holdings, Lyft, and Uber.

The COMET operates in-person customer service at COMET Central from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. and maintains a call center available from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. at 803.255.7100. Maurice Pearl serves as Executive Director/CEO, with Rosalyn Andrews as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Finance, Pamela Bynoe-Reed as Director of Marketing and Community Affairs, Arlene Prince as Director of Regulatory Compliance, and Jackie Bowers as Director of Operations. The organization also employs Patricia Geddis as Customer Experience Coordinator, Vince Jackson as Planning and Development Manager, Princess McRae as Human Resources Manager, Lenny Cooksey as General Manager, Rickey Mack as Assistant General Manager, Dennis Franklin as Operations Manager for DART, Crystal Willis as Senior Accountant, Amaris Ray-Pope as Financial Office Assistant, Jacob Lusco as Sr. IT Support Specialist, Angela Jacobs as Community Engagement and Board Operations Lead, Margaret Woodson as Procurement and Contract Compliance Manager, and Michelle Ransom as Grants and Regional Coordination Manager.

The COMET offers advertising opportunities on the exterior and interior of buses, bus shelters, and benches, with sponsorship opportunities available for the Soda Cap Connector. The agency manages financial reporting to the Federal Transit Administration and oversees the Penny Tax funding. It also handles procurement for projects including building renovation, construction, vehicle maintenance, and operations management.

COMET Central is an established transit provider with an extensive track record of service in the Midlands.

The COMET remains a vital transportation resource for the Columbia metropolitan area, connecting residents to essential destinations through its extensive network of routes and specialized services.

COMET Central sits on Sumter Street in Columbia, SC, near the historic Greyhound Bus Depot and Lutheran Publication Building. The site is also close to the Ladson Presbyterian Church and the public artwork Dum Spiro Spero.

BizScoreAI gives the business a Technical score of 86 out of 100, which ensures the website is secure and indexable so search engines can read it without errors. The Authority score is 75 out of 100, showing who is behind the business as a trust signal that AI assistants and search engines weigh when deciding whom to recommend.

Services:

• Corporate Pass Program
• Passes & Fares
• Transit Services
• Trip Planner
• Vanpool