COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA) says a driver of Transportation Care Services (TCS), which operates DART, has tested positive for coronavirus during routine mandatory testing of all employees.
Officials say the the driver was immediately sent home to quarantine and passengers recently on this driver’s route were immediately notified of possible exposure and advised to get tested.
Since the start of the pandemic, officials say The COMET has put in place stringent cleaning and safety measures, including daily disinfection of all vehicles and facilities, mandatory face covering requirements for drivers and passengers. In addition to the mandatory mask policy, drivers were also given face shields to further protect themselves and their passengers.
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The COMET was also in the process of securing and installing barriers between the drivers and passengers in order to minimize the possibility of any exposure. A temporary plastic barrier was installed on some smaller vehicles as a pilot while the organization solicited bids from companies that specialize in the barriers needed for buses and vans.
“We acted swiftly, responsibly and in good faith to minimize any possible exposure," said John Andoh, Executive Director/CEO of The COMET. “Because we enforced masks and other safety measures, as well as limiting interactions with the drivers, the likelihood of exposure from the driver is minimal. We continue to disinfect daily and enforce strong safety measures for the health of our passengers, drivers and staff.”