COMET launches vanpooling service.

The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority has launched the COMET Vanpool, a new transportation alternative for Richland and Lexington counties, in partnership with Commute with Enterprise, a carpooling service of Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

The vanpool's first vehicles hit the road earlier this year, providing transportation to employees at ECM Support Services, according to a news release. The program, available to companies looking to provide the vanpool as an employee benefit, is open to all organizations in the Columbia metropolitan area at a monthly subsidy of $500 per vehicle, according to the release.

A study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (.pdf) found that the average Columbia-area commuter spends $951 annually in lost time and wasted fuel in traffic.

"A lack of public transit service combined with traffic congestion can be a real barrier to employment, educational and cultural opportunities," John Andoh, COMET executive director, said. "We're working hard to come up with innovative solutions like our vanpool service, which is being supported by Commute with Enterprise, to help ensure that communities throughout...