MARTA wants to know: Do you want more frequent bus service on fewer routes?
MARTA is seeking more public input as it nears a tough decision on whether to offer more frequent bus service on fewer routes.
The transit agency has hired a consultant to guide it through the redesign of its bus network. The consultant has told MARTA its existing network skews toward providing less frequent service over a broader area.
The consultant says MARTA could attract more passengers by offering more frequent service on key routes, while discontinuing many of its less-used routes. More frequent buses would make service more appealing to people who currently don’t use the service or who use it infrequently, according to the consultant.
MARTA has been seeking public input for months in anticipation of the redesign. Early returns suggest customers are divided – with 54% of survey respondents favoring more frequent service on fewer routes, 35% favoring less frequent service over a broader area and the rest favoring something in between.
Any reshuffling of routes likely will generate a political firestorm. Perhaps that’s why MARTA is conducting another survey before deciding on an approach later this year.
Do you want to have a say on MARTA’s bus survey? You can find more information and take the survey here.
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
