MARTA not kid-friendly (transportation, installing, station)

[AtlJan]

Originally Posted by Zanarkand A East

Bingo. MARTA not kid-friendly...or kids (and their parents) not MARTA-smart?

And how is one supposed to become MARTA-smart? Is MARTA some kind of insiders-only network? It sometimes seems that way.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

Very frustrating to ride Marta with kids. Same thing--I slid my card and sent the child through, and then was going to slide the card for myself. It didn't work. Had to leave my child unattended inside the marta station for 5 full minutes while I waited in line again, bought another card for myself and paid for myself. Only later did I find out the child was free, but there was still no indication of how I was supposed to get the child through for free. Never again.

There is a lot of information online and on the fare details posted near the BreezeCard vending machines. Also, scrolling along the top of the vending machines, is an message that says 'do not share cards.' Do not get upset because you did not do a little research, look for more information, ask a station attendant or MARTA PD, or call MARTA using the phone.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

And how is one supposed to become MARTA-smart? Is MARTA some kind of insiders-only network? It sometimes seems that way.

Do you buy a car, appliance, or book a vacation without doing research first? When traveling, do you look at a map before driving or use GPS? People need to take responsibility for educating themselves.

[red92s]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

And how is one supposed to become MARTA-smart? Is MARTA some kind of insiders-only network? It sometimes seems that way.

I guess it just seems obvious to me. It's not a mental exercise to get through the turnstiles with a rollaboard suitcase in tow . . . can't be that much different dragging a 6 year old.

[jero23]

I see intellectual laziness is a common occurrence these days when it comes to things that require not much thought.

[AtlJan]

Not intellectual laziness, my child and I were using Marta for the first time after our car died in a parking lot. I actually had luggage and the child to contend with. If it had been a planned trip, I would have researched. I saw the "don't share cards" sign but didn't know it applied to families. I have ridden the NYC subway many times with the card that you can slide to pay for multiple people.

[TripTychTwo]

Originally Posted by netdragon

I had crying kids stuck on the other side of the gate on at least one occasion when they were learning to use the cards and the urge to smash through the gate to get them or lift them over it.

What kind of parent goes through the gate first and leaves their toddlers on the other side to fend for themselves? Doesn't sound like we have a Marta problem here.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by TripTychTwo

What kind of parent goes through the gate first and leaves their toddlers on the other side to fend for themselves? Doesn't sound like we have a Marta problem here.

You would be surprised how many times I saw this at Sandy Springs Station because the parent couldn't read that cards are not allowed to be shared.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cqholt

You would be surprised how many times I saw this at Sandy Springs Station because the parent couldn't read that cards are not allowed to be shared.

So the obvious point you make is that MARTA doesn't do enough to help educate its customers.
You people who use it all the time are bashing the irregular users for not knowing everything about it. People who think like you probably run MARTA. They also run a lot of software companies!

[alco89]

When you buy a Breezecard or add trips, doesn't it say on the screen somewhere that children under a certain height are free??? Then it says something like 2 kids per adult. Or am I just making that up?