Hartsfield-Jackson holds contest to name train

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By Kelly Yamanouchi

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

People mover, train, shuttle -- whatever you call that thing you take to the concourses at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, it's about to get a real name, and the airport is taking suggestions.

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AJC file photo The train/shuttle/tram/people-mover at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport will finally get a name.

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Hartsfield-Jackson is holding a contest on its YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/atlantahartsfield, inviting the public to suggest an official name for the automated people mover that goes from the main terminal to the airport's six concourses. The YouTube site includes a "behind-the-scenes" video all about the underground train, in which you'll learn that it carries about 200,000 passengers a day and has been in service since 1980, among other factoids.

Although naming the train is a way for the airport to use its burgeoning social media efforts to connect to travelers and local residents, it could also solve a real issue that has arisen with the airport's expansion.

With the opening of the airport's consolidated rental car center last fall, "now, we have three trains in operation at the airport -- we have MARTA, the APM SkyTrain that takes passengers to the rental car center, and then we have the train by many names," said airport spokesman Al Snedeker.

That can make it difficult to give directions to out-of-towners or infrequent travelers on how to get to their concourse, he said.

Suggestions on the YouTube site so far include Concourse Crawler and The Plane Train, but the contest will be open until April 28. The winner will get a $100 American Express gift card -- and a lasting imprint on the busiest airport in the world.