Columbia, S.C.’s The COMET named John Andoh as its new executive director of the Central Midlands Transit Authority (The COMET). Andoh, who will be responsible for the administration and oversight of the agency, is replacing Interim Executive Director Ann August, who has held the position since May 2017.

Andoh has 20 years of experience in the transit industry managing small urban, large urban, and rural transit systems. He came to The COMET from Dutchess County Public Transit where he served as the county transit administrator. 

His previous positions include Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro), where he was responsible for the oversight of three contractors providing service on 85 fixed-bus routes operating approximately 440 buses.

RELATED: The COMET adds 31 new vehicles

In addition to his Capital Metro responsibilities, he has also spent the past 20 years of his career implementing new transit services, creating new transit authorities, designing transit routes and services, purchasing vehicles, developing short range transit plans and budgets, securing over $50 million dollars in grant funding to support transit operations, modifying and improving transit services, and implementing marketing, public outreach, and advertising campaigns to increase ridership. Andoh was successful in rebranding transit operations as well as improving mobility and increasing ridership in the communities that he has served.

Andoh’s goals with The COMET is to improve transit service countywide; implement an updated Transit Development Plan and marketing plan; improve customer service; build relationships with the Midlands elected officials, community leaders, and its riders; increase ridership; improve the service design to make transit easier to use; and implement innovative service concepts to enhance transit services being provided throughout the midlands.