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Comet reports 27% increase in April ridership; agency to provide deeper breakdown in July
Summary
Vince Jackson of Comet reported April 2026 systemwide ridership rose 27% compared with the prior period, and he said Comet’s recent switch to automatic passenger counters means an apples‑to‑apples breakdown will be available in the July report.
Vince Jackson, representing Comet, told the Transportation Planning Advisory Committee that April 2026 systemwide ridership rose from 135,867 to 185,348 passengers, a 27% increase. Ridership related to the University of South Carolina rose from 37,697 to 52,909, a 29% increase, Jackson said.
Jackson said questions about financial details should be directed to Ross Andrews or Mr. Pearl, who handle budget and finance issues for Comet. When a committee member asked whether the reported increase reflected more student riders, new riders, or changes in where trips occur, Jackson said Comet has recently moved from fare‑box counting to an automatic passenger counter (APC) system.
"Right now, because we are currently we started with a new process, of automatic passenger's counter versus our fare box," Jackson said, explaining that the new method creates a short-term comparability issue. He told the committee that an apples‑to‑apples comparison and deeper breakdown will be provided in the July report once the new counting method is established.
No action or vote followed the report. Committee members requested more granular data to understand whether ridership gains are concentrated among students, particular routes or time periods; Jackson committed to supplying a more detailed breakdown in July.
