Several COMET riders not too concerned about possible spread of coronavirus

COMET recently implemented changes like having hand sanitizer stations on their buses

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) —Experts say one of the places where disease could spread the quickest is on public transit vehicles.

To tackle a possible spread of coronavirus, Central Midlands Transit (COMET) is stepping up its cleaning efforts and encouraging its riders to exercise good hygiene.

Thousands of people ride COMET buses everyday to get to work or to get to where they need to go. As a result of a growing number of coronavirus cases, some riders tell me they are being more aware about hygiene and trying to stay safe.

“Most of the people I ride the bus with are being pretty cautious to the coronavirus, and so am I. We try to wash our hands, use hand sanitizer before we get on the bus,” said Willie James, a daily rider of the COMET.

Public transportation is one of the areas where disease transmission could happen the quickest.

Shamia Hoque, an Assistant Professor of Engineering at the University of South Carolina, has been studying how microbes could be spread on surfaces and between people.

“If you’re close together in one location, that will increase the chance of germ transmission if someone in there is a carrier or an infected person,” Hoque said.

To combat this spread, the COMET bus system has been implementing healthy hygiene habits on their vehicles.

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, they put hand sanitizer on all their buses, but recently, they have been more active in encouraging their passengers to keep their hands clean.

“We want to ensure that people have a safe, clean environment while riding in our vehicles,” said John Andoh, COMET’s Executive Director.

Some riders say outbreak or no outbreak, they are still planning on riding the bus.

“This is our transportation and thousands of us live here, and thousands of us take the bus each and everyday. Just hoping everyone takes care of themselves,” said Chad Glover, a daily rider on the COMET.

Andoh says the ridership rate for his buses has stayed pretty steady over the last few weeks, but says if more events and workplaces are closed, then the number of riders could decline.