MARTA Introduces 'See & Say' App

The app will allow transit users to discreetly report incidents on the system.

MARTA has launched a free smartphone application that gives customers the ability to send texts and photos to the transit system’s police department regarding suspicious activity.  MARTA leaders say the "See & Say" app is "easy to use" and can be downloaded from the iTunes Store or the Android Market. "This new app is the latest example of how we will use technology intelligently to transform the way we do business," said Keith T. Parker, MARTA’s GM/CEO, in a written statement. "While MARTA is a safe transit system, we expect that the See & Say App will also help customers feel safer by giving them a convenient tool for communicating directly with our police department." According to the transit system, the software is part of MARTA’s …

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Should MARTA Expand Rail, Rapid Bus Service Up GA 400?

Another Georgia 400 Corridor Transit Initiative will be held this week, so what would you like to see come out of it?

Metro-Atlanta's transportation system is a polarizing topic for some who live north of the perimeter; which begs the question: should MARTA expand its high-capacity transit services along the GA 400 corridor? High-capacity transit could mean anything from rapid transit bus service to light rail or heavy rail options. The type of transit being considered within the Georgia 400 Corridor Transit Initiative would most likely have fewer stops, travel at a higher speed and have more frequent service than the current bus schedules into the areas of downtown Atlanta, Cobb and Gwinnett. According to the initiative fact sheet, whatever comes out of the study would provide "another option to help alleviate the burden on existing roadways and enable …

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Share Your Thoughts with MARTA Thursday

A public meeting will be held March 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Mimosa Elementary School, located at 1550 Warsaw Road in Roswell.

MARTA Wants Your Input on High-Capacity Transit in North Fulton

A public meeting in Roswell will go over potential project details and solicit input from the local community, Thursday, March 21.

Hoping to get input from the community, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will host a public meeting on Thursday, March 21, in Roswell to review the Georgia 400 Corridor Transit Initiative.   The metro Atlanta transportation system is working in coordination with regional and corridor stakeholders to consider a variety of alignment and transit technology options to improve regional mobility and accessibility in one of the region’s most important and heavily congested corridors, according to information they provided. The Alternatives Analysis is assessing the need for high-capacity transit connections between the Perimeter Center area near the interchange of I-285 and GA 400 in the city of Sandy Springs and McGinnis …

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MARTA to Run Extra Trains For Falcons Game, Sunday

The service costs $2.50 each way.

MARTA hopes local sports fans will take transit downtown this weekend to catch all the great Atlanta Falcons action as they take on the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Jan. 20 in their last stop on the way to the Super Bowl.  Direct service to the Georgia Dome is available via MARTA and the local transit system will have extra trains running to get customers quickly to and from the game. Additional staff and police will be on hand to assist customers. In support of the hometown team, MARTA will be running a "Go Falcons" message on its buses and trains.   For $2.50 one-way (plus a $1 charge for a permanent Breeze card), MARTA offers the most affordable and convenient way to travel to the game. Customers are encouraged to purchase round-trip …

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MARTA Generates More than $2.6 Billion in Economic Activity Annually

The transit system is said to carry 24,000 jobs.

If you thought MARTA was “just” a transit system, think again, says  recent press release. A new study released by the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute estimated that MARTA is responsible for about $2.6 billion in economic activity every year and supports roughly 24,000 jobs – not  only in the metro Atlanta region it serves – but statewide. The 94-page study, “The Economic Impact of Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority on the Economy and Labor Mobility of the Region,” analyzed MARTA’s direct and indirect effects on the economy from 2007 to 2011 based on its operating and capital budgets, according to the transit system. The institute’s team, led by Wes Clarke, Ph.D., used proven economic models that incorporated …

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MARTA 2012 Holiday Schedule Changes

Here's what you need to know if you plan to ride MARTA Monday or Tuesday.

Monday, Dec. 24  MARTA bus and rail service will operate using a regular weekday schedule on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.        RideStore hours: Tuesday, Dec. 25 Bus and rail service will operate using a Sunday schedule on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. Bus service will run from 5 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., and trains will operate every 20 minutes on all lines from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. MARTA Mobility subscription customers who want to travel on Tuesday, the observed holiday, must call to book their paratransit trips. RideStore hours:    For more information, please visit www.itsmarta.com or contact the Customer Service Center at 404-848-5000. On Tuesday, Dec. 25, please note that the Customer Information Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the …

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MARTA Changes Service Schedules in Roswell, Alpharetta

Three local routes will experience some changes.

MARTA will begin to implement service changes for a number of bus routes on Saturday, Dec. 15, including several in North Fulton. The changes were made to improve safety, on-time performance and overall service for customers. New schedules and maps are available in stations, Ridestores and on MARTA's website. For more information, visit www.itsmarta.com or call 404-848-5000.  *Route changes directly affecting North Fulton are in bold. Route Days Affected Service Change Description 1 - Centennial Olympic Park/      Coronet Way Weekdays, Saturdays & Sundays The outbound routing from Five Points Station will be realigned to eliminate route duplication within the Five Points area and to improve travel time and schedule adherence. From Broad …

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MARTA Buses Outfitted with Security Cameras

The $17 million system was approved last year and will be installed on seven buses to start with through November.

On Monday MARTA officially launched a pilot program of buses equipped with surveillance cameras that will later be expanded to its entire fleet of passenger vehicles. Seven buses on randomly chosen routes have cameras strategically positioned on the interior and exterior to record high-quality video and audio. Each bus has 11 cameras; three outside and eight inside. There’s also a 17-inch, full-color monitor mounted behind the driver that lets customers view themselves and their surroundings in real-time. “MARTA is dedicated to ensuring that all reasonable measures are taken to secure the safety of customers and employees,” said MARTA Police Chief Wanda Dunham. “We are confident that this investment will provide an additional layer of …

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MARTA Can Keep You Out of Downtown Traffic This Weekend

With two college football games, a Braves game, the Atlanta Arts Festival, an event "For Sisters Only" and Elmo making music, Atlanta will be a busy place.

Now that the Breeze Card vending machines are working, taking MARTA downtown to see baseball, college football, look at some art in a park, hear music by Elmo or visit with some sisters. On Saturday and Sunday, customers can take MARTA to Piedmont Park for the Atlanta Arts Festival, to the Georgia World Congress Center for the For Sisters Only event, or to Philips Arena to see “Elmo Makes Music.”  Sports fans can also ride MARTA on Saturday to Turner Field as the Braves take on the Washington Nationals in a big divisional matchup, to Bobby Dodd Stadium as Georgia Tech faces Virginia, or to the Georgia Dome for the Georgia State-UT San Antonio game.  The weekend will be capped off on Monday with this season’s first Falcons home game in a …

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