This is only the beginning of the cuts, unless we act now!
MARTA faces considerable budget shortfalls for next year - join us to fight for increased local, state, and federal funding for transit!
MARTA Service Changes take effect August 15th
Fare Increase takes effect October 1st
MARTA agrees to ATRU demands on fare increase
ATRU demands on passage of any fare increase
1) No multi-year phase in. Public comment is necessary every year.
2) Base fare for variable based pricing in 2012 must be reduced from $2.
3) Convene a Rider Taskforce to provide input on goals and fare levels of variable based pricing.
ATRU and Allies hold Press Conference to Oppose MARTA Service Cuts and Fare Increases
We must keep up the pressure to ensure no MARTA cuts or fare increase
A three step approach:
1. May: Ensure MARTA receives short term funding from ARC and in exchange only promises to build pedestrian infrastructure.
2. June: Demand MARTA not raise fares and cut service in 2010 Budget.
3. July-Ongoing: Work to secure long term federal, state, and regional transit operating funding.
Statement on Legislature's Failure to Act for Transit
Atlanta JWJ and the Transit Riders' Union have released a statement on the failure of the Georgia Legislature to lift MARTA's budget restrictions.
Transit Riders' Union Op-Ed in the AJC
The Transit Riders' Union published an op-ed in the February 6th Atlanta Journal-Constitution outlining our position on the financial crisis at MARTA.
MARTA in Financial Crisis
Due to the recession, sale tax revenues are down over $39 million this year. MARTA is asking the state legislature to remove the requirement that fifty percent of their sales tax revenue be put into their capital investment budget. Without this change, MARTA claims it will have to raise fares, cut service, and layoff workers. Already suffering due to the faltering economy, low-income transit riders will bear the brunt service cuts and fare increases. Laid off MARTA employees will join the growing ranks of the unemployed in Georgia. Read our statement.
Join us in demanding the state contribute its fair share and to stop the fare increase, service cuts, and layoffs. Come to our organizing meeting on January 21st!
Transit Riders' Union files Civil Rights Complaint against ARC and GRTA
November 2008: TRU filed a complaint with the Federal Transit Agency claiming that the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority are violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Presidential Order on Environmental Justice by using 70% congestion weighting in the transportation project selection process. This emphasis on congestion relief explicitly prioritizes the transportation needs of peak-hour, high volume corridor drivers, who tend to originate in higher income block groups, over the transportation needs of the transit dependent, low-income, people of color, elderly, disabled, and youth populations. Download a copy and contact us to find out how to sign on.
The Transit Riders' Plan for Regional Transit in Atlanta
Current and proposed transit projects are not meeting, and will not meet, the needs of the growing transit dependent population. Limited parts of the Atlanta metropolitan area are adequately served by transit; even areas with transit have infrequent and unreliable service. Atlanta is changing: affordable housing and jobs are growing in the suburbs. Regional transit is a necessity!
Unfortunately, the transit projects in the current Regional Transportation Plan, Envision6, in part due to the emphasis on congestion mitigation, do very little to increase transit accessibility. Even if Envision6 manages to reduce congestion, low-income households, a majority of which are people of color, the elderly, and people with disabilities, will continue to face considerable transportation challenges.
Atlanta is a tale of two cities: the Atlantans who complain about traffic and the Atlantans who complain about MARTA. As Atlanta tackles the creation of regional transit, it must be careful not to turn into a tale of two transit systems with segregated transit that continues its segregated land use. The Transit Riders’ Union envisions a transit system that serves the needs of dependent transit riders, is adequately funded but not at the expense of low-income people, and is accountable to the riders, workers, and people who pay for the system.
Download a full copy of the TRU plan and join us in making sure the voices of dependent transit riders and transit workers are heard in the regional transit planning process!
Dr. Robert Bullard of Clark Atlanta University and Rev. Timothy McDonald of First Iconium Baptist Church speak at the TRU Press Conference, April 29, 2008.