MARTA proposes fare hike, parking fee increase
May 29, 2009 at 2:32 pm by Thomas Wheatley in NewsEven with the Atlanta Regional Commission’s $25 million lifeline, MARTA’s still nearly $110 million in the red. Yesterday, the transit agency released its budget proposal, which includes several changes it’s mulling to cut costs. Here’s a quick rundown:
MARTA riders could potentially see:
- 25 cent fare increase
- $1 parking fee increases in seven paid lots
- Bus route modification or eliminations
- Ending MARTA train service at midnight
- Longer wait times between trains
MARTA employees could potentially see:
- Annual merit increases eliminated
- Increase in employees’ contributions to health benefit plans
- 10 furlough days
If you want the specific details transit agency’s cash situation, download MARTA’s 2010 budget proposal (PDF).
MARTA will hold public hearings to solicit citizen input about the proposed changes. Those dates and locations are pasted after the jump.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Atlanta City Hall
55 Trinity Ave.
Atlanta, 30303
Bus routes 21, 49, 55, 97 from Five Points Station.
Special bus shuttle will be provided from the Five Points Station.North Fulton Service Center
7741 Roswell Road
Sandy Springs, 30350
Bus route 87 from the Dunwoody or North Springs Station.Wednesday, June 17, 2009
South Fulton Service Center
5600 Stonewall Tell Road
College Park, 30349
Bus route 180 from College Park StationMaloof Auditorium (Downtown Decatur)
1300 Commerce Drive
Decatur, 30030
One block west of Decatur Station(Information sessions will begin at 6:00 p.m. at all locations on both nights.)
June 4th, 2009 at 7:40 am
The best thing for Marta would be to combine it with the Georgia Regional Transit Authority. Marta has always been poorly managed. Everyone knows that one of its primary functions is to act as a jobs program for connected blacks. Its route structure is ludicrous and can’t be changed because of neighborhood activists. Taking Dekalb and Fulton out of the drivers seat so to speak would allow new management to make the necessary changes to make it run efficiently. We all know anecdotal stories of Marta corruption, like Marta police roaming miles away from stations. What are they doing? Going to visit their girlfriends. And that is just a minor offense comared to contracting scams that go on their.
September 10th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Anybody who ever took a MARTA bus knows it’s poorly managed. That Atlanta citizens are not more concerned with how their tax money is being spent, just shows how ignorant and lazy we are. Hence we deserve an ignorant and lazy transportation system…