Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit Ridership topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
TPAC hears mixed transit ridership figures; COMET service suspensions cited
Summary
Richland County TPAC received January ridership figures from COMET showing a year-over-year dip but a month-over-month gain, with service suspensions for ice cited as a cause. Staff proposed a COMET tour for committee members.
The Richland County Transportation Pending Advisory Committee on a recent meeting received January ridership and related transit reports from COMET staff, who said weather-related service suspensions contributed to a year-over-year ridership decline.
COMET transit staff Jackie Bowers reported that January ridership showed an 8.12% decrease compared with the same month in the prior year, and an 11.16% increase compared with December 2024. Bowers also said that COMET suspended service twice in January, including one full-day suspension because of icy conditions.
The ridership report included a detailed comparison table of monthly and average daily boardings; Bowers highlighted a separate figure for USC-related trips, saying "there was 26,166 total passenger boardings for January of 2025." She closed by noting the meeting packet also included a finance report through Dec. 31, 2024, and DBE tracking through Dec. 30, 2024.
TPAC members asked no substantive technical questions about the figures during the meeting. Committee leadership said they plan to arrange a site visit: TPAC members will be offered a tour of COMET facilities and a ride on a COMET bus so committee members can better understand operations before future discussions.
The committee did not take any formal action on the ridership report; it was presented for information and follow-up was proposed.
Copies of the ridership, finance and DBE materials were provided in the meeting packet. TPAC members asked staff to schedule the planned COMET tour and return with a proposed date.
