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Old 07-30-2015, 05:20 PM
 
32,026 posts, read 36,796,625 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cqholt View Post
There are so many METROs in the US. MARTA is unique and a part of the Atlanta culture.
Well, that's why I prefer the ATL. It's unique and it immediately identifies with the ATL.
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Old 07-30-2015, 06:23 PM
 
Location: Prescott, AZ
5,559 posts, read 4,695,326 times
Reputation: 2284
Quote:
Originally Posted by arjay57 View Post
Well, that's why I prefer the ATL. It's unique and it immediately identifies with the ATL.
ATL the city, the airport, the train station, the movie, or one of the many businesses?
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Old 07-31-2015, 11:01 AM
 
6,610 posts, read 9,038,285 times
Reputation: 4230
Quote:
Originally Posted by fourthwarden View Post
ATL the city, the airport, the train station, the movie, or one of the many businesses?
...or the boy band, the rap group, Adult t-cell leukemia, above the line advertising, etc.

It would be insane to change the name of a 35 year-old transit system just because a minority of suburbanites are afraid of it. Changing the name isn't going to change those views, which I believe are few and far between in 2015. Give Atlantans more credit than that.
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Old 07-31-2015, 11:20 AM
 
Location: Prescott, AZ
5,559 posts, read 4,695,326 times
Reputation: 2284
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeTarheel View Post
...or the boy band, the rap group, Adult t-cell leukemia, above the line advertising, etc.

It would be insane to change the name of a 35 year-old transit system just because a minority of suburbanites are afraid of it. Changing the name isn't going to change those views, which I believe are few and far between in 2015. Give Atlantans more credit than that.
Not that you're wrong, but MARTA is 43 years old, starting bus operations February 17, 1972, and rail operations June 30, 1979, 36 years ago.
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Old 07-31-2015, 12:09 PM
 
Location: NW Atlanta
6,503 posts, read 6,122,823 times
Reputation: 4463
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeTarheel View Post
It would be insane to change the name of a 35 year-old transit system just because a minority of suburbanites are afraid of it. Changing the name isn't going to change those views, which I believe are few and far between in 2015. Give Atlantans more credit than that.
+infinity
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Old 07-31-2015, 01:20 PM
 
Location: The big blue yonder...
2,061 posts, read 3,738,339 times
Reputation: 1183
I think this is a requirement for Atlanta moving forward... We MUST consider BIG and MORE transit to encompass the entire area, not just Atlanta and Dekalb... Period.

And I agree that Rebranding is an absolute MUST. "MARTA" has become a pariah among the people here... We need something new, something fresh, but OH GOD, something NOT "ATL" I mean, c'mon... Think a little harder than that. Get more creative than that. Geez...

I don't really have any suggestions but I figure a brainstorm or focus group could yield something worth wild... Put SOME effort into...
How about this. Quick 30 second brainstorm: A-Trax, A-Train, NoGA, NoGA Rail, (JAAR) Joint Atlanta Area Rail, Atlanta Transit Enterprise (ATE aka The 8)... "You gotta take the 8 to Cumberland station and walk across the bridge to SunTrust Park..."

Okay, 5 min brainstorm... How about Atlanta Transit Local Area System (ATLAS)... With a man holding a globe as the symbol. And the globe represents what will be the many different subs under the ATLAS umbrella, such as MARTA, Beltline, CCT, Atlanta Streetcar, Peachtree Streetcar, Clifford Corridor Lightrail/Streetcar, a Commuter Rail, Bus transit, etc... Maybe even start adding in monorails for local areas and stuff... Whatever. "You need to just take ATLAS to Cumberland station then walk across the bridge to SunTrust Park..." I don't know...




MAIN ISSUE though, MARTA and City of Atlanta and CCT and whoever else NEEDS to come up with a solution/plan for the homeless on the system. There are too many people that feel outnumbered by them when they ride that keeps them from riding.
Not like homeless in the subway keep New Yorkers from taking MTA, BUT there's already enough people taking it, and enough of an engrained culture there that it's expected and won't bother anyone. We don't have that engrained culture here. So, Marsha from East Cobb's first trip on MARTA downtown to 5 points and she is surrounded by what seems to be 40 seemingly either homeless, crazy, mentally handicapped, physically handicapped, just plain angry or thuggish (regardless of race... Let's be real. It's not about race. Because the people we/I'm talking about are the people that make everybody just a little uneasy, nervous or on high alert to be around. Whether you're black, white, scottish, russian or cherokee... Those characters walking around MARTA (Especially 5 points) make everyone a little uneasy).

THAT issue needs to be addressed SOMEHOW... I don't know how, but somehow
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Old 07-31-2015, 01:41 PM
 
Location: NW Atlanta
6,503 posts, read 6,122,823 times
Reputation: 4463
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psykomonkee View Post
I think this is a requirement for Atlanta moving forward... We MUST consider BIG and MORE transit to encompass the entire area, not just Atlanta and Dekalb... Period.

And I agree that Rebranding is an absolute MUST. "MARTA" has become a pariah among the people here... We need something new, something fresh, but OH GOD, something NOT "ATL" I mean, c'mon... Think a little harder than that. Get more creative than that. Geez...

I don't really have any suggestions but I figure a brainstorm or focus group could yield something worth wild... Put SOME effort into...
How about this. Quick 30 second brainstorm: A-Trax, A-Train, NoGA, NoGA Rail, (JAAR) Joint Atlanta Area Rail, Atlanta Transit Enterprise (ATE aka The 8)... "You gotta take the 8 to Cumberland station and walk across the bridge to SunTrust Park..."

Okay, 5 min brainstorm... How about Atlanta Transit Local Area System (ATLAS)... With a man holding a globe as the symbol. And the globe represents what will be the many different subs under the ATLAS umbrella, such as MARTA, Beltline, CCT, Atlanta Streetcar, Peachtree Streetcar, Clifford Corridor Lightrail/Streetcar, a Commuter Rail, Bus transit, etc... Maybe even start adding in monorails for local areas and stuff... Whatever. "You need to just take ATLAS to Cumberland station then walk across the bridge to SunTrust Park..." I don't know...



So...who's paying for the tens of millions of dollars in rebranding costs?

To rebrand because some idiot politicians and their supporters apparently hate the name (when in fact they hate transit and wouldn't ride it anyway) is monumentally stupid.
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Old 07-31-2015, 01:58 PM
 
Location: The big blue yonder...
2,061 posts, read 3,738,339 times
Reputation: 1183
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gulch View Post
So...who's paying for the tens of millions of dollars in rebranding costs?

To rebrand because some idiot politicians and their supporters apparently hate the name (when in fact they hate transit and wouldn't ride it anyway) is monumentally stupid.
YOU of course... With a name like "Gulch" you definitely have deep pockets.
Thanks man...


I'm just thinking fit it under an umbrella. A collection of services to rebrand...
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Old 07-31-2015, 02:17 PM
 
Location: In your feelings
2,197 posts, read 2,261,599 times
Reputation: 2180
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psykomonkee View Post
And I agree that Rebranding is an absolute MUST. "MARTA" has become a pariah among the people here...
Did this comment fall through a time warp to 2012? MARTA is on solid ground with the Republicans in the legislature and the suburban commuters in north Fulton who are demanding MARTA come to their city. It needs plenty of things but a new name isn't one of them (I can't believe this thread is still going).
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Old 07-31-2015, 02:54 PM
 
Location: Prescott, AZ
5,559 posts, read 4,695,326 times
Reputation: 2284
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psykomonkee View Post
YOU of course... With a name like "Gulch" you definitely have deep pockets.
Thanks man...


I'm just thinking fit it under an umbrella. A collection of services to rebrand...
They tried this already with GRTA, the 13 County version of MARTA, or at least it was supposed to be. Notice how far reaching their rail infrastructure is? See how much money is poured into them since they're not MARTA? No? Good, me neither.

Yes they get better support from the state, yet Cobb and Gwinnett run contracted eXpress buses with them, yes GRTA is expanding, and yes I don't have a problem with the agency, but it was HARDLY the cure that it was supposed to be.

I can almost GUARANTEE you that something similar would happen with any new agency or rebranding effort. It would look good on paper (sorta) and then get shafted in reality.

It this point we DO NOT NEED a new agency. We need to swallow our prides (OTP and ITP alike) and accept what we have, especially as services are being expanded, progress is being made, and projects are finally sorta getting somewhere.

To me, we already have the two needed umbrellas, the 13-County GRTA and the 5-County MARTA.

GRTA Gets:

Commuter Buses (into Atlanta, and between centers around it)
Commuter Trains (MARTA maybe eventually hands over the Clayton line)

MARTA Gets:

Heavy Rail
Light Rail (to be handed over from ABI and ATL streetcar at somepoint)
Streetcars (to be handed over from ATL Streetcar at somepoint)
Bus Rapid Transit
Urban Freeway Buses
Urban Surface Street Buses

Quote:
Originally Posted by magnetar View Post
Did this comment fall through a time warp to 2012? MARTA is on solid ground with the Republicans in the legislature and the suburban commuters in north Fulton who are demanding MARTA come to their city. It needs plenty of things but a new name isn't one of them (I can't believe this thread is still going).
I really have no idea either. People seem to want change for the sake of change when MARTA is doing the best it's been in a decade at least, just so people who're shallow enough to think that new paint and a new name will suddenly make people love it. (Despite some literal repainting already taking place)

As for the homeless aspect. They have just as much right to ride as anyone else, if they bought a ticket. I agree that the City could be doing more, and in fact, NEEDS to be doing more. Not projects, because those don't work, but affordable housing (looking at you Beltline), transition houses, smaller shelters, etc. all spread throughout the city in a variety of settings so that you don't build literal ghettos and keep from creating feedback housing that just reinforces the reasons for homelessness in the first place.

We also need to take on a method of policing that other cities have, in that, instead of arresting or shunning mentally ill, we offer shelter in treatment facilities for addiction, mental health, etc.

Of course every one of these places should have strong reintegration policies, offering skill training and help with job searching, housing work, etc.

It'll cost money, but in the long run, it'll be better for the city as crime drops, and we have a stronger workforce, as well as the obvious moral reasons.
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