On Monday MARTA eliminated most of its bus routes for the foreseeable future, focusing instead on its busiest and most critical routes amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The move comes as the agency faces a budget crisis brought on by the pandemic. With many people sheltering in place, ridership has plummeted, along with farebox revenue. And with much of the economy on hold, sales tax revenue also is down.
MARTA recently reported a $50 million gap between operating revenue and expenses, a gap that is expected to grow. And a $522 million federal bailout of Georgia transit agencies is not expected to plug that hole.
So, beginning this week, MARTA went from 110 bus routes to 41, including one new circulator route. The agency says it has beefed up service on the remaining routes, with buses running more frequently. But CEO Jeffrey Parker acknowledged that many transit-dependent customers will not have easy access.
So, we’d like to know: Have you been affected by the MARTA bus service cuts? Is your local stop no longer being served? How are you getting around? If you’re riding one of the remaining routes, what’s the service like? Do you feel safe?
If you’re willing to be quoted in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, contact reporter David Wickert: dwickert@ajc.com.
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