The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET) announced Wednesday that it is restoring limited service of the Soda Cap Connector, effective Wednesday, April 8.

Soda Cap Connector #1, which travels the loop from downtown Columbia to Cayce/West Columbia via Gervais Street, will run daily from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. at 30-minute intervals. The decision was made after The COMET received feedback from riders mostly citing the need to get to work.

“We have had a number of our riders reach out to us saying that they depend on this route to access their jobs and other vital resources,” said John Andoh, Executive Director/CEO. “The COMET is an essential mode of transportation in the Midlands that is committed to connecting citizens to the places they need to go safely and reliably.”

In order to ensure the practice of social distancing, the Soda Cap Connector buses will be primarily used due to the size and configuration of the vehicles. Soda Cap Connector #2, which travels from Main Street to Five Points, and Soda Cap Connector #4, which is The Orbit serving the UofSC campus, as well as Soda Cap Connector #3, which shuttles to Segra Park during the Fireflies baseball season, remain suspended. This limited service schedule will be in effect until further notice.