For years, the knock on MARTA’s bus network has been straightforward: if you don’t live near a major corridor, the system doesn’t really work for you. On Saturday morning, the transit authority took its most ambitious step yet toward changing that.
MARTA Reach, a new on-demand microtransit service, began carrying passengers in 12 zones across the agency’s service area on March 7, giving riders in historically underserved neighborhoods a new way to connect to the broader transit network.
How It Works
Reach operates more like a rideshare than a traditional bus route. There are no fixed schedules and no predetermined paths. Instead, riders request a trip through the MARTA app or by calling a dedicated phone line, and a small shuttle vehicle picks them up at or near their location — typically within 15 to 20 minutes.
“Think of it as the bridge between your front door and the nearest bus route or train station,” said a MARTA service planning official at a launch event at the College Park rail station.
Key details of the service:
- 12 service zones spanning portions of the City of Atlanta, unincorporated DeKalb County, south Fulton County, and Clayton County
- Rides are $2.50 — the same as a standard MARTA fare — and include a free transfer to bus or rail
- Vehicles are smaller shuttle vans, branded with MARTA’s livery and equipped for wheelchair accessibility
- Operating hours mirror MARTA’s core service window, running from early morning through late evening seven days a week
- Booking is available through the MARTA app, online portal, or a phone-based reservation line for riders without smartphones
Filling the Gaps
The zones were selected based on areas where existing fixed-route bus service is thin or where ridership data suggested demand for short connecting trips to rail stations and bus hubs.
Several zones cover neighborhoods in south DeKalb and south Fulton that have long ranked among the most transit-dependent yet least transit-connected communities in the metro area.
“There are people in these neighborhoods who have been asking for better service for a long time,” said Clayton County Commissioner Felicia Franklin, who attended the launch. “This is a meaningful first answer.”
Part of MARTA’s ‘Big 6 in 26’
Reach is one of the first milestones in MARTA’s “Big 6 in 26” initiative — a slate of six major service improvements the agency has pledged to deliver this year. The program also includes a full bus network redesign expected in April and a new contactless fare payment system slated for later in the spring.
Officials said the microtransit model allows the agency to serve lower-density areas more efficiently than fixed-route buses, which often run with few passengers in neighborhoods built around cul-de-sacs and winding subdivision streets.
Early Reactions
At the Hamilton E. Holmes rail station Saturday morning, a handful of riders were already testing the service. Janice Thornton, 58, used the app to summon a Reach shuttle from her home near Adamsville to the station — a trip that previously required a half-mile walk to the nearest bus stop.
“I didn’t believe it was going to come that fast,” Thornton said after stepping off the van. “Fifteen minutes, door to almost-door. That’s something.”
Transit advocacy groups said the launch is encouraging but urged MARTA to watch the data closely.
“Microtransit works when there’s enough supply to keep wait times short,” said a policy director at a regional transit nonprofit. “If the waits creep up past 25 or 30 minutes, people stop using it, and then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
What’s Next
MARTA said it will evaluate ridership, wait times, and rider feedback across all 12 zones during a 90-day assessment period. Zones that demonstrate strong demand could see additional vehicles added, while underperforming zones may be adjusted or consolidated.
The agency also left the door open for future expansion into areas served by partner jurisdictions, including Gwinnett County and the City of Sandy Springs.
Elena Vasquez reports on City Hall and transportation for WACN 21 News. Reach her at evasquez@wacn21.com.
