Get around downtown (without battling for a parking spot).

Last Friday, I got to break in COMET’s brand new bus system, the Soda Cap Connector.

The fleet of teal-hued buses (funded by the Richland County Transportation Penny Program) will take Soda Citizens on two routes with stops at major downtown destinations (including Five Points, The Vista, Main St. + more) Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

The best part? The service is •completely free• during its ~6-month trial period, which began on Sept. 1. (Depending on the outcome of that trial period, fares might be imposed.)

Takeaways from my ride? The Soda Cap Connector buses are clean + air-conditioned (which is a major pro because… Columbia 🔥). They are equipped with free wifi (available by the end of next week), USB ports for charging devices on-the-go and security cameras to help keep your ride a safe + enjoyable experience.

The ride was quick and straightforward. Both routes last 20 min. from start to finish – stopping every 4 min. at its destinations. See the live route map + schedule.

ROUTE 1 | The Vista ➡ Five Points | Points of interest: Memorial Park, Convention Center, UofSC Horseshoe

1️⃣ S.C. State Museum

2️⃣ Gervais + Lincoln St. (The Vista)

3️⃣ Hampton + Main St.

4️⃣ Sumter + Gervais St. (The State House)

5️⃣ Harden + Pendleton St.

6️⃣ Five Points Fountain

🔃 And back.

ROUTE 2 | The Vista ➡ Taylor St. | Points of interest: Benedict College, Allen University, Richland County Administration

1️⃣ S.C. State Museum

2️⃣ Gervais + Lincoln St. (The Vista)

3️⃣ Hampton + Main St.

4️⃣ Main St. (The State House)

5️⃣ Barnwell + Washington St.

6️⃣ Harden + Hampton St.

7️⃣ Gervais + Harden St.

🔃 And back. Skips stops 5+6 on return route.

Fun facts, by the numbers (from the nice folks at Catch the COMET):

1950s | The time period that inspired the retro design + colors of the branding (“Soda Cap” → Soda Jerks). Here’s the logo sketch by Sam Scheib, COMET Director of Planning and Development, that was then sent to the designers + turned into the real thing. ⬇️

1 star | The star on the logo (also seen on the bus stop signs) symbolizes the stars on the State House, where cannonballs struck during the Civil War

2 years | The amount of time the plan for the bus system has been in-the-works in Richland County

4 buses | The number of continually running buses in the Soda Cap Connector fleet (the fifth is a “spare,” kept on-hand when the other buses need routine maintenance or in case of an accident)

39 of 50 | Number of buses that were 15-years-old + had to be replaced for the new bus fleet

50 cents-$2 | The range cost per hour to park at metered spots in downtown Columbia (a.k.a. what you’re saving when you take the SCC)

800 ft. | The (super walkable) distance from an SCC route to the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

383 ft. | The distance from an SCC route to Township Auditorium

842 ft. | The distance from an SCC route to Hampton-Preston Mansion + Gardens

1,150 ft. | The distance from an SCC route to Finlay Park

I’m a fan of the Soda Cap Connector (not just because it might save me a parking ticket or two) – but because I’m all for getting cars off the road + CO2 emissions out of the air. Public transportation offers a sustainable way to go to play + work downtown. Use it, y’all.

F.Y.I. – This is a pilot test of the bus system. COMET + the Central Midlands Transit Authority will conduct surveys after a couple of months to see if more stops should be added or if longer hours are needed.

You haven’t seen your city until you’ve seen it from the seat of a bus. You take in the views better from the vantage point of an elevated seat – noticing parts of Cola that have always been there, but somehow out of sight.

Catch you on the Cap,

-Beth