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The COMET says Lexington County ridership, route miles and bus fleet have risen; asks stakeholders to request service expansions
Summary
Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority presented ridership and fleet growth, noted 29 new routes since 2012 and rising demand in Lexington County, and said stakeholders should request service extensions and amenity improvements through public input and council engagement.
Officials from the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (the COMET) briefed Lexington County committees on recent growth in ridership, route mileage and fleet additions and urged local stakeholders to request service expansions through council engagement.
Maurice Pearl, the COMET executive director, said route miles increased from 1.6 million to 2.4 million and ridership rose about 45% since 2012, reaching just over 2 million annual unlinked passenger trips in 2024. The agency reported 29 new routes and 29 new buses since 2012 and said that in 2024 the system fielded 97 buses (up from 68). "For every dollar that's invested in public transportation, there's $4 that comes back to the community," Pearl said.
County presentations listed fixed-route services operating in Lexington County (including routes serving Broad River Road, Harbison and St. Andrews areas) and detailed ridership changes by route. Staff said route 801 (serving Harbison) is among the higher ridership corridors; the COMET reiterated that demand for additional fixed-route frequency and expanded service hours in Lexington County had been raised during public outreach around the recent transportation ballot initiatives.
Pearl said the COMET operates DART paratransit for passengers unable to use fixed-route services under ADA guidelines; DART operates within three-quarters of a mile of fixed routes and is intended for medical, grocery and other essential trips. Committee members requested more granular data on where Lexington County residents are asking for expanded service; COMET staff said they will provide request counts and locations and encouraged constituents to attend meetings and engage with council and COMET public processes.
The COMET staff also described passenger-amenity growth — from 15 benches and no shelters in 2012 to 57 shelters and 96 benches — and said the agency coordinates with jurisdictions for shelters and stops. Funding sources shown included Richland County sales tax (largest share), intergovernmental agreements, fares and a small Lexington County contribution. The COMET said federal funds routed through the Council of Governments are contracted to operate services and that local contracting details determine funding flows.
