By Freda Hardage – MARTA Board of Directors
Atlanta has a good transit system, but MARTA isn’t satisfied with “good.” Our goal is to take the region’s largest transit system from good to great. This requires a commitment to routine excellence from everyone at MARTA. The mission is simple: to deliver a safe, clean and reliable experience, every single day.
To do that, the MARTA team is focused on enhancing safety and improving operational reliability through renovation projects, upgrades and rider-centered experiential improvement.
Safety: MARTA remains one of the safest transit systems in the country. The MARTA Police Department (MPD) has 250 sworn officers on the system, and through its Real-Time Crime Center monitors thousands of cameras placed systemwide to react and deploy resources instantly. Violent crime on the system has been cut in half over the past five years, and overall crime is down another 21% this year. We know data alone doesn’t make people feel safe and we still have work to do but the overall downward trend is encouraging.
Reliability: MARTA is improving reliability by embedding operational consultants to find efficiencies and working closely with our partners at the Amalgamated Transit Union to ensure we have a committed workforce.
Projects and Upgrades: The transit agency is advancing six key projects in 2026, “The Big 6 in ’26.”
- New Rail Cars: In June 2026, MARTA will introduce the most technologically advanced trains in the nation. The days of 40-year-old cars are ending, and by the time the World Cup arrives in Atlanta, multiple new CQ400 train sets will be in service, offering a smoother, more modern ride. Each four-car set includes open gangways so passengers can pass between more than one car at once. This also improves visibility for security purposes. Other upgrades include more room for wheelchairs, strollers and bikes, digital maps and charging stations. The trains look really cool, too!
- A Better Breeze: Transit customers have been asking for frictionless fare payments, and MARTA heard them. The new, better Breeze fare payment system will launch on March 28 and will allow customers to tap to pay with their bank card or mobile wallet. New fare equipment is also harder to tamper with and can be monitored remotely, reducing fare evasion and resulting in a safer transit system.
- NextGen Bus Network: For the first time since MARTA’s founding, we are launching a total redesign of our bus network on April 18. This new bus network will triple the number of residents with access to high-frequency (15-minute) service. And to go along with the new network, MARTA is introducing MARTA Reach, an on-demand Uber-like ride that will be available in 12 zones on March 7. This includes a Reach Zone (312) in North Fulton that is located between Mansell Road, Commerce Parkway, Old Roswell Road, Warsaw Road, Holcomb Bridge Road, Dogwood Road and Old Alabama Road.
- MARTA Rapid A-Line: Also on April 18, MARTA will expand its system with phase one of the Rapid A-Line, the region’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. The five-mile line connects Downtown Atlanta to Capitol Gateway, Summerhill, Peoplestown and the Beltline’s Southside Trail, with connections to MARTA’s heavy rail system at Five Points, Georgia State and Garnett Stations.
- Station Rehabilitation: MARTA has been hard at work with its multi-year $1 billion Station Rehabilitation Program to make rail stations more welcoming for customers. Work on the platforms at Five Points Station will be completed by the World Cup, with new lighting, tiling and a modernized design. MARTA is also making significant improvements elsewhere on the system, including at Garnett, Peachtree Center, SEC District, Vine City and Airport Stations.
- FIFA World Cup 2026 Readiness: When the world descends on Atlanta this summer, MARTA will be ready. The team is finalizing plans for extended service, multilingual messaging and increased staff presence to ensure a seamless experience for global visitors and locals alike.
While this sort of progress often requires the short-term discomfort of construction, the benefits of these transit improvements for Atlanta will be enormous and long-lasting.
The "Good to Great" journey is about more than just infrastructure, it’s about improving the overall transit experience for customers. Whether you are a daily commuter or haven’t stepped on a train in years, I invite you give public transit a shot and let MARTA drive!