MARTA Board to Vote on Fare Increase to $2.50

The MARTA Board of Directors on Wednesday will consider a 50-cent base fare increase in voting upon a proposed $413.76 million operating budget for fiscal year 2012.

MARTA's board will meet at 11 a.m. Wednesday at MARTA's headquarters in Buckhead, 2424 Piedmont Road. Jim Durrett, CEO of the Buckhead Community Improvement District, is chairman of MARTA's board. Three MARTA train stations are located in Buckhead.

Along with the FY 2012 operating budget of $413.76 million, the board will vote on a capital budget totaling $185.5 million and $143.7 million in debt service, according to a MARTA news release. MARTA said it heard from more than 260 community members as part of the budget public hearing and comment process.

The budget "focuses on maintaining MARTA’s long-term financial sustainability, preserving transit service and state-of-good-repair, enhancing some bus routes and implementing new security initiatives,"the MARTA press release said. 

The base fare would increase from $2 to $2.50, with weekly and monthly pass price increases.

In addition, the proposal would continue staggered increases for the mobility base fare, reduced fare and mobility passes as indicated in the FY 2010 base fare increase. Mobility base fare, reduced fare and mobility passes will not be affected by the proposed FY 2012 base fare increase.

Under the budget plan, MARTA employees for the fourth year in a row would receive no annual merit or wage increases.

The fare increase and salary freeze are recommended "in order to stabilize MARTA’s financial condition and maintain current service levels for our customers," the news release said.

Although MARTA's sales tax revenues are projected to increase over the next 10 years, according to the news release, its finances were hurt by the recession. With no state money  or additional funding sources this fiscal year, MARTA said it is "proposing these changes now to avoid any additional service cuts and to ensure metro Atlanta’s prospects for expanded regional transit in the future."

If approved by the Board of Directors as part of the FY 2012 budget, bus service enhancements would be implemented Sept. 24  and fare changes would take effect Oct. 2. Bus routes 3, 25, 50, 51, 99, and 181 will receive enhancements. For more information about the FY 2012 budget proposal, visit www.itsmarta.com or call 404-848-5000.

Here is a chart showing proposed fare increases:

Proposed Fare Increases for FY 2012 

Fare Media

Current

Proposed FY2012

Base Fare

$2.00

$2.50

Reduced Fare

$.090

$0.95*

Mobility Base

$3.60

$3.80*

Weekly Pass

$17.00

$23.75

Monthly Pass

$68.00

$95.00

Mobility Pass

$115.00

$122.00*

TMA Discounts

0% to 10%

No Change

Children

Free with Adult

(Height Requirement 46” Max 2)

No Change

*THESE INCREASES ARE BASED ON FY 2010 PROPOSALS TO INCREMENTALLY RAISE FARES FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED CUSTOMERS