MARTA Taking Proactive Security Measures in Response to Boston Explosions

In case you ride MARTA, read about their new security protocols.

Our friends at MARTA have just sent Cascade Patch a press release about the security changes that they are implementing after the deadly Boston Marathon bombings. According to the written statement by Cara Hodgson, MARTA is "heightening security on the transit system." Hodgson says that there are no imminent threats towards the transit system or its riders, but that they want to be proactive and take this opportunity to be even safer. MARTA is taking the following proactive measures: The MARTA Police Department (MPD) is working directly with federal, state and local agencies, including the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) and the Transit Security Administration (TSA) in Washington, D. C. to stay updated on any recommendations …

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MARTA Adding Trains for Final Four Weekend

Scores of college basketball fans have descended upon Atlanta and this is your guide on what you need to know to get to and from events via mass transit.

You may take MARTA directly to all the Final Four events and other activities taking place Friday, April 5 to Monday, April 8. MARTA will have extra trains running to get customers quickly to the Bracket Town Fan Fest, concerts and basketball games via the Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center Station. Additional staff and police will be on hand to assist riders. For $2.50 one-way (plus a $1 charge for a permanent Breeze card), MARTA offers the most affordable and convenient way to travel to the events. Customers are encouraged to purchase round-trip fare or multiple day passes at the start of their trip for added convenience. Fare products are available for purchase at Breeze vending machines in all 38 rail stations. Parking for less than 24…

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Boxers, Panties and MARTA, Oh My!

Sunday is Go Pantless Day on MARTA.

Attention MARTA riders: Get ready for a flesh mob. If you see groups of hipsters riding MARTA trains without pants on Jan. 13, it's all part of the No Pants Subway Ride. The event is part of a global No Pants Subway Ride started by Improv Everywhere in New York in 2002. Atlanta's Gobi Lumberjacks have been participating since 2009. This year's annual No Pants Subway Ride in Atlanta starts at the white arch near Underground Atlanta (across Peachtree Street from the Five Points MARTA Station). Those wishing to participate are asked to meet at 3 p.m. for instructions to be given out at 3:15 p.m. The group is expected to ride the 3:45 p.m. northbound RED Line. They're expected to exit at the Civic Center, where they'll shed their pants. After …

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Péralte Paul

12:39 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013

Don't get me started on the number of times I've seen "skid marks" on exposed boxers, Space Ship.   more ›

MARTA to Modify Weekend Rail Service for Track Work

Customers are advised to allow extra time for their trip.

In order to accommodate scheduled track work, MARTA will modify rail service Saturday, Jan. 5 and Sunday, Jan. 6.  Customers traveling this weekend are advised to please allow extra time for their trip. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank our customers for their patience as we conduct this work to keep our system operating at its highest level.  — Red Line trains will only operate between North Springs and Lindbergh; therefore, service between Lindbergh and Airport Stations will be running at a reduced frequency – every 20 minutes. — Customers traveling from North Springs will need to transfer to a Gold Line train at Lindbergh Station in order to continue southbound.  Customers traveling northbound from the Airport will need board…

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MARTA's New Year's Eve Schedule

MARTA is offering event rail service to get customers to their destinations. Additional staff and police will be on hand to assist patrons.

MARTA's New Year's Eve Schedule

Time, bus scheduling changes.

Downtown will have several activities for New Year's Eve including the Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome, the Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta and other events.     To accommodate these activities, MARTA is offering event rail service to get customers to their destinations. Additional staff and police will be on hand to assist patrons. On New Year’s Eve, bus service will operate a regular weekday schedule.  Some bus routes will be rerouted for both the Chick-fil-A Bowl Parade and Peach Drop.  Beginning at 4 p.m., buses serving Five Points will be rerouted to other stations through the end of regular service. These bus changes are listed as follows: Listed below are the stations most convenient to various New Year’s Eve events:  Chick-…

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MARTA Schedule for Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend

Listing of service changes.

by Patch Staff The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority will operate holiday service Thursday and Friday and will implement bus reroutes to accommodate the Atlanta Half Marathon and Macy's Tree Lighting. This Thanksgiving holiday weekend, there will be several events throughout the city including the Macy’s Tree Lighting at Lenox Square Mall and the Atlanta Hawks game. To accommodate these activities, MARTA will have event rail service available to get customers quickly to their destinations. Additional staff and police will be on hand to assist patrons. Parking for less than 24 hours is free at all of MARTA’s daily parking facilities. Customers parking in the decks at Lindbergh Center Station must park in MARTA designated areas …

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Smile! You're on MARTA's cameras

All MARTA buses will have cameras by June 2013

  Security cameras were installed on seven MARTA buses this past week as part of the agency's effort to prevent crime on public transportation. The MARTA board of directors approved the $17 million project in 2011, and all buses are expected to have cameras installed by June 2013. The installations this week are part of a pilot program to test out the technology. Each bus will have 11 cameras — three outside and eight inside. The cameras capture real-time audio and video that feeds into a 17-inch monitor behind the driver for riders to use. “MARTA is dedicated to ensuring that all reasonable measures are taken to secure the safety of customers and employees,” MARTA Police Chief Wanda Dunham said in a statement. “We are confident that this …

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MARTA Breeze Payment Systems Fixed

Malfunction blamed on upgrade related to consumer protection mandate.

Editor's note: This is MARTA's statement regarding the glitch that affected riders' use of the vending machines to purchase or add rides to their Breeze cards. The MARTA Breeze fare system is again accepting customers’ debit cards – as well as credit cards and cash – after a software upgrade anomaly that disabled those functions has now been resolved. Cubic, the San Diego-based technology vendor that designed, produced and maintains the Breeze fare collection system, has worked diligently with MARTA to correct the problems that surfaced during last week’s busy Labor Day weekend. Richard Wunderle, senior vice-president and general manager, Cubic Transportation Systems’ North America operations, attributed the malfunction to an upgrade …

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MARTA Breeze Machines Take Cash and Credit; Debit Transactions Offline

Software glitch, which began before the Labor Day holiday weekend, continues.

Editor's note: This is MARTA's latest update on the continuing problems involving customers' purchases of Breeze cards. MARTA’s Breeze vendor Cubic has implemented an intermediate software solution to allow customers to resume the use of credit cards. Customers can also continue to use cash to purchase fare. The San Diego-based technology company continues to work with MARTA to fully restore the Breeze debit card function as quickly as possible. For now, debit cards that require a customer to enter a PIN number in order to process a transaction are not being accepted. Customers who have Breeze cards with fare products already loaded on the card will not experience delays and should proceed to the faregates for entry, as they normally would…

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