Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority awarded $250,000 grant to enhance transportation options to healthcare services
July 10, 2019
Columbia-area operator of mass transportation, The COMET, will help more residents get to the doctor and other medical appointments, thanks to a competitive $250,000 grant awarded to Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority. With the kick-off of the pilot program, The COMET will offer shuttle service to bus stops throughout Lexington and Richland counties to help residents complete important healthcare-related trips.
Access to medical care is essential, and many area residents face barriers that prevent them from traveling that first or last few miles to the bus stop. According to the Central Midlands Council of Governments, 26 of the 38 COMET routes are within a ¼-mile radius of one of the 14 hospital facilities and 13 dialysis centers in the service area. This pilot program would fill the gap between these short-distances and provide insights on shuttle services as a solution for transportation barriers.
The COMET pilot program was selected as one of 37 projects awarded under the Federal Transit Administration’s Access and Mobility Partnership Grants to pilot new and innovative mobility models in enhancing access to care. This pilot will feature the collaboration of several innovative organizations both locally and nationally to further its goal of becoming a “Mobility Agency,” according to John Andoh, Executive Director & CEO of The COMET.
Feonix – Mobility Rising will be one of those collaborators, recruiting volunteer drivers who will operate the shuttles to and from bus stops.
Shuttles will be arranged regionally throughout the two-county area and hours of operation will complement The COMET’s hours of service. Area residents or healthcare professionals will be able schedule and book rides via computer, phone call or a mobile application through the AARP Ride@50+℠ Program, developed by AARP Driver Safety and powered by Feonix – Mobility Rising. In addition to rides on the shuttle service, rides on the bus and to medical or other coordinated care appointments can also be booked through the platform.
Additional organizations in The COMET’s pilot program planning team include the United Way of the Midlands, the Columbia VA Healthcare System, South Carolina Oncology Associates, and the Kappa Lambda Chi Military Fraternity Inc.
