COLUMBIA, S.C. — The COMET Transit System is working to combat COVID19 among its employees.
Since July, six bus drivers have tested positive for the virus according to transit service.
A temperature reading technology and mask reminders are some of the things The COMET has installed in its building to help combat COVID-19.
"We're ensuring that the buses are being cleaned daily, that we're fogging the vehicles and the building on a daily basis when cases arise or at least on a weekly basis," said the COMET'S Executive Director and CEO John Andoh. "We're also investing in testing for the employees and allowing them to do voluntary testing."
When a case is identified among their employees, they have a procedure in place. "Immediately as soon as we get that information we have them go into quarantine and get a test," Andoh explains. "While they're being quarantined then we'll start our process which is we'll fog the entire building, fog whatever vehicles that individual was in, and do extra cleaning over and beyond the extra cleaning we're already doing."
The COMET is also posting information about which day the driver was working and what route they drove to their website to inform their passengers.
"We care for our people, our employees, our passengers," Andoh adds, "We're taking COVID19 seriously and we're going to do whatever it takes to keep people who work for us and utilize our system safe.
Andoh says later this year, they will also be installing protective barriers between the passengers and drivers to further prevent the spread of germs.