ATL Still Loving Transit
Decatur Metro | December 8, 2008The AJC reports this morning that MARTA ridership was up 12.4% system wide in the third quarter of 2008 vs. same period year-ago, even though gas prices peaked in July.
That’s an even bigger increase than the 10% system-wide increase reported in second quarter 2008.
Obviously the great unknown is whether the return of cheap gas will get people back in their cars or whether the recent reintroduction to transit along with a sagging economy will keep transit ridership levels up over years past.
Time will tell.
If you like numbers, all of the data cited above can be found on the American Public Transportation Association website.
It stands to reason that cheap gas will get people back in their cars, at least until cheap gas disappears. And it almost certainly will. The price of a barrel of crude is actually below the marginal cost of finding a new barrel. The production of many, many major oil fields is declining. The real price obviously lies somewhere between the absurd 148 we saw a few months ago and the current, and equally absurd, 40-something price. But it’s probably a lot closer to 100 than to 40.
I think the long-term solution for MARTA is not to hope the prices cause drivers to give up their cars. It should be to improve service to make people want to take MARTA. In general, right now, the service stinks.
I don’t think anyone said that MARTA has gone with “higher gas prices” as their long-term strategy.
And in my personal experience, the service on MARTA is quite improved from 4 or 5 years ago. I take MARTA frequently these days and have noticed that trains are almost always on time these days and employees are friendly and helpful.
Are you basing your “stinks” assessment on a recent, personal experience?
I use MARTA buses and trains almost every day, and I think the MARTA system is terrific. I have zero complaints. I think everyone should take advantage of MARTA services and make a long-term commitment to less dependence on foreign oil supplies. The day is coming when it won’t be a choice, so why not get onboard now and support the system we have and help it to improve in numerous ways??
I had a group of college friends in town this weekend visiting from Texas. I gave them the option of riding MARTA from the airport to me, or I could get them at the airport. The all selected MARTA. Might be the novelty for them, but they each went on and on about how great their experieces were. I was taking it to work when gas prices were over $4 a gallon, but have started drving to work again. I need to start riding again – it is a great system and they won’t have the money to put into improving it unless we ride it, so might as well hop back on the train.
I’ve heard that car traffic on DeKalb Ave during rush hours has been up significantly during the last month. I imagine the low gas prices (and no gas shortages) are the cause, since it’s a pretty easy choice to just hop on Marta if you car commute on that road anyway.
I commute to the Perimeter area, and I’ve found that riding Marta takes (on average) an extra half hour each way versus driving. I wish they had an express train from 5 points to the northern stops…
i think the idea of marta is great, and i use it often to go downtown, etc. i’d love to be able to actually use it as a primary mode of transportation – however due to my residence location & work location, it would require me driving to a marta station (that is almost as far away as my work) to park my car & then take the marta. i’ve checked on buslines or bus/rail combo and it would take me far too long to get anywhere, especially when i report to work at 7am (i’m up early enough!).
the lack of availability for rail stops in many parts of town is a downfall. it would be great if it were more like NYC or Chicago that most anywhere is only a short walk from a marta stop. i think something like this would really increase use.
when i use marta, i have no problems. i just don’t see it being a possiblity for my every day commute as it currently stands.
Harpua, the reason that you are hearing that car traffic is up on Dekalb Ave this past month is probably due to a change the traffic engineers made to the stoplight timing at the Moreland interchange. It now only lets about 8 cars through per green light, and the traffic can back up as far as Oakdale at times.
This leads to the appearance of higher car traffic, IMO.
It has lightened back up a tad, as people have started taking McLendon to avoid that snarl.
“It has lightened back up a tad, as people have started taking McLendon to avoid that snarl.”
Brilliant….
Let’s increase traffic through a residential area! Reminds me of the time about 5 years ago when the morons at the DOT thought it would be a good idea to make the GA 400 ramp off 85 one lane. Gridlock back through the Grady connector in one fell swoop.
Keep up the good work guys!
It’s not so much recent experience. I took MARTA to work daily from 2000-2001, and it was horrible. Trains were routinely late, and the panhandlers seemed to almost outnumber passengers. My recent bad experiences have been more anecdotal. About half the time the experience is pretty good. The other half consists of standing on platforms waiting for trains that, according to MARTA’s own updating screens, should have arrived 10 or more minutes ago. In fact, the last time I used MARTA to get to the airport, the train leaving the Avondale stattion was so far off schedule I almost missed my flight.
In addition to McClendon, I know more people are cutting through Kirkwood and Edgewood residential streets to avoid that lockjam.
Does anyone know who is responsible for the timing of the lights at that intersection? If they get enough complaints, maybe they will re-adjust the timing.
Since Moreland is on the DeKalb/Fulton (Atlanta) line, it may take some research to figure out whose traffic engineering operation is responsible. My guess goes to DeKalb, whose traffic engineering department, IMHO, barely knows red from green and is in way over their heads when it comes to traffic management and associated technology.
MARTA is wonderful. We’ve had several out-of-towners use it to get to Decatur from the airport and to get around town. They rave about the train (and the service) and universally lament that their own cities lack such a system.
Glad (?) to see Harpua & Steve’s comment. I thought I was going crazy with that new, absurdly limited light at Moreland. The drive downtown now involves sitting through a minimum of 5 light changes every morning just to get through the light.
I hadn’t thought of going down McLendon, but might use that as an alternative going forward (apologies to any CP friends for the increased traffic!).
Let me again put in a plug for the FREE Emory/CDC-sponsored “Cliff” shuttles.
The CCTMA line runs between downtown Decatur and the CDC, while the South DeKalb Mall Park&Ride shuttle also has a few stops on Clairmont and on S. Candler. These are all seeing increased ridership, although not quite as heavy as when gas prices were at their peak.
http://transportation.emory.edu/shuttles.html
They are fairly reliable, and you can even check where they are online in real time.
I’ve found that out of towners from cities with established mass transit are pretty disparaging of MARTA, while those without mass transit are generally impressed. Natives ITP are appreciative, while OTP’ers still labor under the delusion that if MARTA was extended up 75 or 85, criminals would use it to come steal their TVs (and ride back with them in their laps, presumably). But they’ll still ride it down from Alpharetta for the Braves game or Celine Dion concert.
I love living within walking distance of MARTA, but it’s not feasible for me to take it to my office in Smyrna (and driving against traffic means my commute is relatively stress free anyway). But I often use it recreationally and it’s a Godsend going to the airport. I’ve gotten used to scenes of public urination/defecation (that was fun to explain to my nieces during a trip to the aquarium), proselytizers, junkies, etc. It’s just local color.
Speaking of which, they dropped the charges against Soulja Girl today.