MARTA. Is it safe? (Atlanta, Tucker: co-op, employment, live in)

[Figment 07]

Cynthia Tucker's editorial in today's Atlanta Journal-Consitution is titled, "I just don’t feel safe on MARTA".

Did you read it? Find it here: http://tinyurl.com/yue6f6

The comments that followed (approximately 200, so far) are more interesting than the editorial. Local MARTA riders and former riders obviously have a LOT to say and they enthusiastically seized the venting opportunity provided by Ms. Tucker today.

What about your own experiences with MARTA?

Do you think MARTA is safe enough and clean enough? Is MARTA on time often enough to suit you? Regarding current operations, what could be changed in order to increase ridership?

[Figment 07]

Brief quotes from ajc.com article "MARTA Officials Defend Security":

http://tinyurl.com/28q5vw

When MARTA was built in the late 1970s, officials knew one of the biggest challenges they faced was convincing Southerners that big-city transit was safe. The system could not survive by serving only those who could not afford a car, said Ken Gregor, a former MARTA general manager. "If MARTA is going to be successful ... it's got to attract the middle class, it just has to," he said. "And over the years, we've had very limited success at that."

Then this.

No officers were visible at stations or on the train during a 30-minute ride. MARTA officials noted that undercover officers are often deployed on trains.

Maybe invisible security is not such a brilliant idea when one of their "biggest challenges" is the perception that our transit system is not safe!

[jjordan]

The reason it didn't attract the middle class is because they rejected it! (to their own detriment) I think they're realizing that now. Ugh, Metro Atlanta is sickening in so many ways.

[Figment 07]

It's more than the people who refuse to try MARTA.

Riders are rejecting MARTA. Let's hope someone cares to know the reasons.

Reading replies to Ms. Tucker's blog entry, there is a great deal of frustration expressed by people who wanted to use the transit system for commuting, and tried. Including Cynthia Tucker herself. These people are saying that they found it to be unsafe, late too many times and dirty.

[gt6974a]

As an opponent to 'commuter rail' I dont think Marta is unsafe. It's just not convenient. Jobs in Atlanta are more spread out so it's not do-able, IMO.

[sprtsluvr8]

What is the weekly total ridership of the Marta system? I'm wondering what percentage the 2 incidents per week is of the total number of riders? I would imagine it's a very low percentage...

[xxman777]

Originally Posted by sprtsluvr8

What is the weekly total ridership of the Marta system? I'm wondering what percentage the 2 incidents per week is of the total number of riders? I would imagine it's a very low percentage...

Their average weekday ridership in 2006 was 451,064, so in an average week (business days only) about 2.25 million. Two incidents a week is really pretty good.

[jxu66]

I took MARTA for four years in 90's for my co-op jobs then one year when I was working in downtown. Never have any problem. A lot of Alpharatta professionals take train to downtown. It also helped a lot of folks in the southern part of city to find employment in the northern suburbs.

[LawrencevilleGA]

Rarely is a clothes officer seen at the Marta stations. That in itself instills lack of security.
I found it to be clean, fast and on time. The range of Marta is not good enough.
If the thieves that do live in Atlanta wouldn't come to the burbs and steal everything that's not bolted down then Marta would have been allowed to expand further up, down, and over. Suburbia just doesn't want the riff raff having easy access to their towns.
Marta is an answer to Atlanta's huge traffic problem, it just wasn't allowed to reach it's full potential.

[jjordan]

HAHA LOL! I love it!!