ATLANTA — Big changes could soon be coming to The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).
MARTA announced they will hold public input sessions beginning in December and continuing through February 2025, officials will unveil a redesign of MARTA bus routes to create a “smarter, faster, and better system to serve the evolving needs of the region.”
MARTA hopes the new redesign will help make commuter experiences better, more efficient, and more equitable.
“This redesign of our bus network represents a generational shift in our service to better align with the region’s dynamic growth, changing commute patterns, and post-pandemic realities of public transit use,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood. “We are eager to share the proposed bus network with our customers and stakeholders and hear feedback on opportunities to refine.”
Here is a list of new plans by MARTA:
- Expanding frequent service areas from 5 corridors to 18, making it easier for riders to reach their destinations.
- Increasing 20-minute service routes from nine existing routes to 13 planned routes for shorter wait times and quicker trips.
- Adding 12, new, on-demand service zones, offering flexible transit solutions for communities with lower population density.
- Providing seven-day-a-week service on all routes and on-demand zones, eliminating peak-only service hours to meet riders’ diverse schedules.
- Streamlining fixed bus routes from 113 to 79 to create a simpler and more navigable network, with minimal impact on current service areas.
- Greater accessibility for residents and workers, with 95,000 more people and 103,000 additional jobs within close reach of frequent transit service that runs every 15 minutes or better.
- Additionally, 143,200 more residents will have access to service running every 30 minutes or better.
According to MARTA, the next virtual meeting will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 17 from Noon - 1:30 p.m. To register to join, click here.