[2] The COMET supports and provides opportunities for additional mobility through partnerships with attractions, neighborhoods, events, Uber, Lyft, and Blue Bike of S.C.[2] All services are operated by RATP Dev USA Inc. of Fort Worth, Texas.
[4] The City of Columbia signed a deal with SCE&G in December 2001 to take over the transit system effective the following year in exchange for a 30-year utility franchise.
Additionally, in October 2003, the City of Columbia began providing $1 million to The COMET (then CMRTA) to fund the system's operational and capital needs.
This agreement between the City and The COMET (then CMRTA) allowed for annual payment until a long-term, dedicated local source of funding was secured.
In August 2005, The COMET (then CMRTA) implemented system-wide adjustments, including eliminating under-performing routes for a cost savings of approximately $500,000, which was invested in new additional services.
[4][7] Unfortunately, the 1-cent sales tax referendum failed, albeit by a very small margin of approximately 2,200 votes, resulting in The COMET (then CMRTA) once again facing a local funding crisis.
[4][7] Instability continued to follow, and in 2011, the executive director and general manager retired along with a restructuring of the board, resulting in a nearly complete turnover.
Many factors are believed to contribute to the passing of the penny tax, including the cuts that were made in service earlier that year.
Additionally, the council adjusted the penny tax to contribute to other transportation-related issues, such as improvements for roads, sidewalks, and greenways.
The South Carolina Supreme Court upheld the election and tax in March 2013, dismissing the case and allowing planning on service restoration to continue.
[4][9] In April 2013, the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority re-branded itself as "The COMET" with new liveries and branding to follow.
[11] 2013 brought many improvements such as hiring new employees, expanding services, and a partnership with the University of South Carolina provided the Gamecock Express, generating over 10,000 trips in a day.
[4] In July 2013, Bob Schneider from VEOLIA Transportation was hired as the full-time executive director, beginning work in August 2013.
[7] In 2014 a long list of improvements was implemented — flex services were expanded into rural areas, weekend service was launched, a new customer-centered smartphone ride-tracking and the stop-predicting app was introduced, “Freshman Freedom” passes were distributed in collaboration with local colleges and universities to provide free transit to first-year students, and new amenities for passengers such as bus shelters, benches, bike racks and more.
This plan provided a new direction and approach to public transportation in the Midlands in order to create a more innovative, connected, and accessible system.
[13] The Soda Cap Connector was introduced — a free, simple system of dedicated routes that connect riders to major local destinations in the downtown area.
[15] Progress continued in 2018 with new programs and increased services such as an expanded network of schedules to be available at more public locations outside of the downtown area, including West Columbia, Cayce, and Northeast.
[17] Andoh left The COMET in April 2021[18] to accept a position at the Columbia Area Transit District in Hood River, OR.
The Soda Cap Connector uses trolleys and buses to service its routes – traveling between Five Points, Main Street, The Vista, Cayce, and West Columbia.
Riders on the transit system can access a code from the bus that allows 45 free minutes of use on any Blue Bike located at various stations within downtown Columbia.
To continue serving community members in those areas, particularly among low-income residents, The COMET began a demonstration partnership in FY2019 with Rideshare operator Lyft.