Georgia Senate panel recommends 'path forward' for regional transit (Atlanta: appointed, bus)

[Airforceguy]

Georgia lawmakers stopped short Thursday of proposing legislation establishing a regional transit system for metro Atlanta.

But a state Senate study committee approved a report recommending the General Assembly begin a "path forward" during the upcoming 2017 legislative session that could lead to a transit governance bill in 2018.

"It's a very important issue but a complicated one as well," said Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, the study committee's chairman.

Political and business leaders, transit agency officials and Georgians who use public transit have long complained that metro Atlanta's hodge-podge of bus and rail systems are inefficient. While MARTA and local bus systems have taken steps to work together, including letting passengers use MARTA Breeze cards to pay for bus rides on other systems, efforts to form a regional transit system have fizzled.

The committee's report recommends the legislature set aside funding this winter the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) would use to develop transit governance legislation to introduce in 2018. SRTA would hire an independent consultant for the work.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/n...rward-for.html

[primaltech]

I'm up in the air on whether to combine GRTA and MARTA. Maybe, maybe not.

But, one way or the other, you absolutely have to get rid of CCT and GCT, and merge those into either GRTA or MARTA. They are stupid. Each county should not have its own system or brand.

[cqholt]

Metro Atlanta already has 2 regional transit systems' MARTA and GRTA. Did the lawmakers not do any research?
Look at lawmakers who were quoted on this article; Gooch, Millar, and Tippins. All suburb or exurban lawmakers deciding on what urban Atlanta needs, where is our intown representation on this and why are they not leading the changes, as their constituents use the transit more often.

[Pemgin]

"The committee amended its report Thursday to require any proposed transit governance solution to go before voters in each affected county."

Will vote a hard "NO" on this if any proposal dissolves MARTA. God I wish these exurban/suburban legislative yokels would **** off and let Atlanta control its own destiny.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Metro Atlanta already has 2 regional transit systems' MARTA and GRTA. Did the lawmakers not do any research?
Look at lawmakers who were quoted on this article; Gooch, Millar, and Tippins. All suburb or exurban lawmakers deciding on what urban Atlanta needs, where is our intown representation on this and why are they not leading the changes, as their constituents use the transit more often.

The Lt. Govenor decides who's on committees in GA. The same Lt. Govenor who is not happy with the way MARTA is run. Is it any question as to WHY there aren't any reps from existing counties?


I'll rehash what I've already beaten to death: MARTA needs to remain as THE core agency. GCT and CCT need to be folded (preferably through their own county's vote) into MARTA. From there, the rest of the metro should be primarily served by GRTA. I would argue that a county should have the choice of which agency to be served by, so that they will have the option to go with something more fitting of their build environment in the future.

To add, I agree that there ALSO needs to be a state-wide solution. GRTA and MARTA are both state agencies, but they're rather focused on the metro. Even if we just give GDoT the power and funding to implement intercity rail, that'd be amazing. Conversely, we could contract with Amtrak, or establish a new agency (though I'd rather not), or contract with a 3rd party operator.


In the mean time, I think a great stop-gap would be make the transit grants an annual thing in the state. It's a wonderful way to fund transit without having to focus on one agency or part of the state. It also lets local agencies prioritize what they need in the way of grants.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Look at lawmakers who were quoted on this article; Gooch, Millar, and Tippins. All suburb or exurban lawmakers deciding on what urban Atlanta needs, where is our intown representation on this and why are they not leading the changes, as their constituents use the transit more often.

That's a durn good point. Don't several members of the Atlanta delegation have significant seniority?

Atlanta Legislative Delegation 2016

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Pemgin

"The committee amended its report Thursday to require any proposed transit governance solution to go before voters in each affected county."

Will vote a hard "NO" on this if any proposal dissolves MARTA. God I wish these exurban/suburban legislative yokels would **** off and let Atlanta control its own destiny.

How is that not like MARTA now?

[primaltech]

I think the first, most obvious, and least controversial step, is to fold/consolidate CCT and GCT, into the Georgia Regional Transit Authority, and unify all the different branding and colors there. GRTA would be expanded in its purview to include both express and some local bus service, and it would be agency that would run the commuter rail, and the state would increase funding to it. It would operate and provide service in all 13 of its member counties, which includes the MARTA counties.

MARTA would continue on, exactly how it is. And Cobb and Gwinnett would still have the future option to join MARTA, for even more transit, on top of the GRTA commuter rail.

If the metro commuter rail is branded GRTA, that's fine with me. I just want the commuter rail (and want it to be good.)

[cqholt]

Response from State Senator after sending her an email

The leaders at the Capital may say that the MARTA brand is so "damaged" they have to go with some other umbrella agency or rename it or something. I do not know if this is true, true among Republican primary voters, or untrue. In the end I am less concerned about the name than about the expansion of transit in Atlanta and having the state fund the system.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by primaltech

I think the first, most obvious, and least controversial step, is to fold/consolidate CCT and GCT, into the Georgia Regional Transit Authority, and unify all the different branding and colors there. GRTA would be expanded in its purview to include both express and some local bus service, and it would be agency that would run the commuter rail, and the state would increase funding to it. It would operate and provide service in all 13 of its member counties, which includes the MARTA counties.

MARTA would continue on, exactly how it is. And Cobb and Gwinnett would still have the future option to join MARTA, for even more transit, on top of the GRTA commuter rail.

If the metro commuter rail is branded GRTA, that's fine with me. I just want the commuter rail (and want it to be good.)

At this point I don't care who runs transit outside of the current MARTA service areas, I just don't want to lose local control of MARTA. As the MARTA board stands now, it is appointed by local leaders. SRTA and GRTA are appointed by the governor.