MARTA expanding concessions program (Atlanta: unemployed, transfer, homeless)

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

And I guess the planned MMPT will clean it up?

There are a number of fast food places around Five Points...all of them in deplorable condition.

I worked in downtown Atlanta for many years so I know exactly how Five Points is lol.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

If that's the case the should close every business within a 1 mile radius of 5 points lol. Money is money. Sketchy people, homeless people and educated people all spend green money

Yes money is green. But again who will the extra money benefit, MARTA or it's ridership? Is adding concessions part of a plan to expand the rail line, restore cut services and lower fares? I have to pay $2.50 for each ride and buy food and retail items from MARTA for the same crappy service?

[tonygeorgia]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Yes money is green. But again who will the extra money benefit, MARTA or it's ridership? Is adding concessions part of a plan to expand the rail line, restore cut services and lower fares? I have to pay $2.50 for each ride and buy food and retail items from MARTA for the same crappy service?

I think you are looking too deep in it. They are just providing an additional service for us to use if we want

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

MARTA is taking the next step toward offering a full array of concessions at the transit system’s rail stations.
The agency will host an information session Aug. 7 for companies and vendors interested in food, beverage and specialty retail concession opportunities. MARTA took the plunge into concessions almost two years ago by installing 70 beverage vending machines at all 38 rail stations. The initiative began after the General Assembly passed legislation earlier in 2010 making it legal to eat and drink non-alcoholic beverages at transit stations. Now, MARTA is planning to expand to food and retail concessions in 16 stations. Items and services being considered include fast food, small electronics, sandwiches, newsstands, dry cleaners and jewelry.

MARTA expanding concessions program - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Excellent idea. One caveat I would suggest to MARTA is to allow bottled beverages on their trains. I think people might be more willing to buy a Coke bottle from a platform's vending machine if they know they won't have to throw it away or sneak it on when the train arrives.

Originally Posted by cqholt

Great news. Always thought redbox would be a great idea at stations. Allow people to rent a movie and bring it back the next morning during morning commute.

Redbox! Now that is indeed a good idea.

[Atlanta_BD]

Why should anyone care about generating more money for MARTA it's going to be more of the same?

I use to be a regular MARTA rider. I'm no longer a MARTA rider. Why? Not because I don't want to support MARTA, but because using MARTA was too much of an inconvenience: slow buses, taking many hours just to go short distances, trains constantly breaking down. I actually flunked a college math course because the train would break down almost every day, making me nearly an hour late for class, causing me to not have time to finish my exams and ended up flunking them as result.

I moved to Atlanta from a place with a public transportation system exactly like NYC's. Transit is expansive in my hometown, fast and efficient, and the ENTIRE city is walkable. So I never drove, never owned a car there. It was no need for me to. I hadn't planned on buying a car in Atlanta because I didn't want the expense; and when I moved here, I'm thinking because it's a major city with transit, it would be just like home. I was deadly mistaken. I went from living in a city where I was able to walk everywhere and take a bus from any corner (which ran every 5 minutes) and took me to any train station, to having to take a taxi just to get to the nearest bus stop here in Metro Atlanta, along with not being able to walk anywhere because there were no sidewalks in many places.

I even lost my first job here in Atlanta because I couldn't get to work. I lived in Atlanta for 5 years without a car and I finally just couldn't take it anymore. I had to buy a car. It's been many years since I haven't had to use MARTA on a daily basis and not only has it gotten worse, the prices went up too!

I don't see the point in getting excited about MARTA adding concessions to generate revenue if it's not going to improve MARTA. We've seen time and again that many residents don't want it to expand.

If we are happy about it just for the sake of seeing MARTA make more money, MARTA may as well just become a charity. As long as I have a car, I will not be a daily rider, only using MARTA when I want to go to events and it's an inconvenience to park or if it's cheaper to take than pay for parking--and even then I will be packing my own sandwich and not spending money in their vending machines or at their concessions stands lol.

Show me how this revenue will make MARTA better for its riders in terms of improved service and I will happily cheer about it. Not one time when riding MARTA did I ever think, "Man, I wish MARTA had a place for me to get a sandwich right now." It was more like, "The train is broken down AGAIN?!" or "I'm going to be late AGAIN?!" or "Why did it take me three hours just to go up the street?!"

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

I think you are looking too deep in it. They are just providing an additional service for us to use if we want

I'm not looking to deep into it. You are the one who said this implementation will generate revenue for MARTA. I asked you to show me where that revenue will benefit riders in terms of better service.

[Staysean23]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Yes money is green. But again who will the extra money benefit, MARTA or it's ridership? Is adding concessions part of a plan to expand the rail line, restore cut services and lower fares? I have to pay $2.50 for each ride and buy food and retail items from MARTA for the same crappy service?

you are looking to hard into this. There are even worse sketchy people in the NY subway stations with the God awful smell during the summers but it doesn't stop anyone from buying things from the concession stands there. Oh I forgot its NY so they are excused. This is just going to ad a service for those who want a quick snack paper magazine or Gum.. As far as where the money is going to go then maybe you should email some of the Marta Officials to get those answers. Because the article isnt very detailed.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by Staysean23

you are looking to hard into this. There are even worse sketchy people in the NY subway stations with the God awful smell during the summers but it doesn't stop anyone from buying things from the concession stands there. Oh I forgot its NY so they are excused. This is just going to ad a service for those who want a quick snack paper magazine or Gum..

That's all good and well, but again, TonyGA said this will generate more revenue for MARTA. I asked where that revenue will go. That's the question not being answered.

And you are right about NYC's grimey subway. But at least it's expansive and people can get around on it better there than they can with MARTA's transit.

[tonygeorgia]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

That's all good and well, but again, TonyGA said this will generate more revenue for MARTA. I asked where that revenue will go. That's the question not being answered.

And you are right about NYC's grimey subway. But at least it's expansive and people can get around on it better there than they can with MARTA's transit.

I just posted the article…I didn't write it

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

I just posted the article…I didn't write it

I'm not attacking you dear. It just seems MARTA needs to be more focused on providing better transit service than sandwiches and electronics. And more revenue means nothing if it's not being used to that end.