Skip to main content

Marta trials on-demand transit 

Atlanta's six-month ride-share pilot service connects riders to bus and rail services
By Ben Spencer March 11, 2022 Read time: 2 mins
Marta's service is available in West Atlanta, Belvedere, and Gillem Logistics Center and costs $2.50 (image credit: Georgia Institute of Technology)

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (Marta) has launched a six-month ride-share service that connects riders to its bus and rail services. 

Marta and the Georgia Institute of Technology received a $1 million grant last Autumn from the US National Science Foundation to launch the Marta Reach service.

The authority says Marta Reach will test how on-demand shuttles can be used to make it easier and faster for customers to get to their destinations and help minimise waiting and walking. 

Marta interim general manager Collie Greenwood says: “This pilot programme combines on-demand rideshare with public transit, providing personal transportation at a low cost, and will be a vital connection to the larger Marta system for those customers in areas underserved by transit. I’m eager to see how it’s used, it’s efficiency, and whether the program could be adopted and expanded to help complement our upcoming bus network redesign.” 

The service is available in West Atlanta, Belvedere, and Gillem Logistics Center and costs $2.50. It runs from 6:00 am until 7:00 pm. 

Kroger Fulfillment Center general manager David Matthews says: “There are about 2,500 employees within Gillem Logistics complex across 17 business that have employees that need reliable transportation. This on-demand service should have a positive impact on Kroger’s ability to attract and retain people wanting to work.”

Georgia Tech’s industrial and systems engineering team is providing the technology, including routing logic, and rider, operator and administrator system apps for the project. 

The app guides users to designated pick-up and drop-off stops near the beginning or end of each trip while also allowing them to request additional stop locations. Those who do not have a smartphone can book a ride by calling Marta's customer service team. All vehicles are wheelchair and stroller accessible. 
 

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • AVs coming to Florida mobility corridor 
    March 4, 2022
    Jacksonville Transportation Authority project supported by $12.5m grant from USDoT
  • Cubic to continue AFC support in Atlanta
    October 28, 2016
    Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) has been awarded a $12.7 million, two-year contract extension from the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in the US to provide automated fare collection (AFC) maintenance services. The contract also includes options for an upgrade path to support future updates, which could increase the value to US$52 million if all options are exercised. CTS designed and delivered MARTA’s Breeze Card, a card-based AFC system that utilises Cubic’s smart card ticketing
  • US favours express buses are for intercity travel
    November 26, 2013
    David Crawford records an upsurge in ground travel. Express buses are powering ahead of air and rail as the US’ most-favoured form of intercity travel and major operators are investing in passenger-attracting and retaining technologies. At the same time ‘kayak’-style price comparison websites are emerging to widen rider choice. Modelled on airline industry search engines that find cheap flight deals by comparing carriers’ offers, these new websites aim to fill the same gap for a ground-travel equivalent
  • ITS European Congress 2025: Seville technical visits announced
    April 16, 2025
    City's traffic management centre and Level 4 autonomy are on agenda