DEL.ICIO.USHigh cost of fuel driving more to public transportation
Published on: 07/02/08
Hello, MARTA rookies. Maybe it was $4 gas prices that pushed you through the proverbial turnstile (train ridership is reportedly up 15 percent year-over-year) but we're glad you're along for the ride. However, there are a few things to know, so some of us MARTA regulars compiled a few tips. Enjoy.
 Rich Addicks/AJC | ||
| A MARTA train travels south in College Park. Public transportation ridership is getting a boost from high fuel prices. | ||
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Remember: It's "public" transit. That means the public, in all its rich, unending variation, will be on the train with you. If you can't deal with the occasional oddball, loudmouth or panhandler, you're out of luck. So stick your nose in a book or an iPod in your ears and repeat to yourself: At least I'm not stuck in traffic. At least I'm not broke from filling up.
On the other hand ... If something really annoys you, and it will — dirty cars, broken escalators, rude operators — let MARTA know: Customer service is at 404-848-5000, or e-mail custserv@itsmarta.com.
Ride for a discount. Check out your workplace for underwriting. Lots of companies and institutions subsidize monthly MARTA passes good for unlimited rides. Also, check www.commuterrewards.com for programs that will pay you money for your new commuting decision.
Some rules of the ride. You want to get on the train? Wait until all the folks exiting are done before entering. Are you really in that big a hurry to get to work?
• Remember musical chairs? Bone up. Indecision could cost you a) a seat alone, or b) a seat. Especially at Five Points, where large numbers of people will flood into a mostly empty train. If you see a seat, sit down.
• Despite what their body language might indicate, the great majority of folks who take up more than one seat or sit on an aisle with the window seat empty will make room when asked. Just ask politely.
• Chivalry is not entirely dead on MARTA. Younger, stronger riders have been known to offer up their seats to the older and less hardy. Just don't count on it happening every time. Displaying a weary look or audibly struggling with your packages just might get their attention, though.
• Yes, yes, yes — talking for your entire trip on your cell phone is rude. And you'd be surprised at the lack of awareness among those involved in clearly private phone calls. But, between us, dead spots east-west basically hit at tunnels near Decatur, Avondale and Kensington stations. North-south, the cell is pretty much out between Five Points and Arts Center, with a brief reprieve at Civic Center.
• Some advice from a reader, Tamyra Ramsey: Hold on tight when moving, but do not wrap your whole body around the pole on the train. "All of us standing need to get a hand on that pole," says the Midtown resident, "so stand back and let us get a hand in there."
Learn to be efficient. MARTA veterans ride the car that will eventually stop nearest their departure station exit.
• Experience will teach you that, over time, you will wait an average of five minutes per train during peak hours, i.e., your commute. However, on Friday evenings after a hard week, you will undoubtedly arrive on the platform to see your train leaving the station and will wait 10 minutes (or longer) for the next one.
• If you hate crowded trains, wait a few minutes during peak service. Some trains, like the Candler Park-Bankhead train, travel a shorter route with fewer riders.
A few survival tips. An umbrella can come in handy when trying to make it onboard as the doors are closing. (MARTA, of course, says this is not so smarta. If the door won't close after you, service will stop, you'll have to get off and wait for a replacement train and your fellow travelers will not be happy with you.)
• If you wear an ID badge for work, put your Breeze card in the plastic sleeve with it. The turnstile scanners will pick up the pass through the plastic. It's far easier than fishing around for you card in your wallet.
• Place tickets flush to the turnstile scanner for best results. Don't rush it to catch an approaching train. That will almost always backfire.
• People aren't supposed to panhandle. Some do. People aren't supposed to play their music loud. Some will. The AC is supposed to work in the summer and the heat in the winter. They sometimes won't. But again, keep repeating: Gas is $4 a gallon, gas is $4 a gallon ...
• Another reader, another tip — this time from Jeff Delp: Fill up your Breeze card before you hop on the bus. If a lot of riders are digging in their pockets and paying with cash, it slows down the commute for everybody.
• It's tough to be spontaneous or punctual with public transit, but there's something to be said for planning ahead. Try A-Train, the trip planner at trip.atltransit.com, or Google's transit planner at www.google.com/transit.
Leisure, bikes and guns. Don't forget weekends. Chamblee station is on the doorstep of that town's antiques district. Going to Piedmont Park? 10th Street. The High, the Alliance, the ASO? Arts Center. Shopping at Lenox or Phipps? Lenox station. Eddie's Attic, Taqueria del Sol, Watershed on your menu? Decatur.
• You can bring your bike on board. You may have to wrestle it through the gates; a MARTA employee may open the emergency gate for you. There are elevators, or you can carry it up and down the stairs (do us all a favor, don't use the escalator). Except during the peak of rush hour, you'll probably find space for you and your ride at the front or rear of most cars.
• And remember: Starting July 1, it's legal for MARTA riders (with proper permits, of course) to carry concealed weapons. (Our advice: review the tips about on-board courtesy above.)
Last but not least. Don't take our word for it. Give us your MARTA tips or observations in the commenting area below.
– Compiled by Mike Benzie, Mark Davis, Michael Gray, Jamie Gumbrecht and some helpful ajc.com readers.
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Comments
By Serenity
Jul 6, 2008 7:44 PM | Link to this
Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who dont know about the standers to the right, walkers to the left law (a hem, cough,TOURIST). This unwritten law, most of us learned by either getting yelled at by the people we held up,or conspicously being the only fool standing there with no one in front or behind and we moved to the side with the rest of the herd. There no transit hand book with this tid bit in it. All i'm saying is dont assume that everyone knows and is attempting to be rude. Sure there are some who do it on purpose, dare to be different and don't follow the herd mentality, but it is rare... Maybe Marta should make this law written and post it especially at Peachtree Center where I've seen the frightened faces of poor tourist and (newbies/transplants)when they find out that they and their luggage are holding up all the walkers.
By Dr Rob
Jul 3, 2008 4:42 PM | Link to this
I disagree that bikes should stick to the stairs, and not the escalator. I'm a daily bike-MARTA-bike commuter on the east line from Indian Creek to downtown. My general MO is to wait for the rest of the crowd to clear than take my bike on the escalator. Why? 1) My bike is loaded and rear heavy -- difficult balance to carry. 2) The elevator always has 2 carloads of people waiting for it. Once in the elevator, you are subject to a a toxic combination of urine, disinfectant, and ammonium, with no ventilation. 3) When I use the stairs, inevitably, there will be a very very slow person ahead of me.
The escalator is stable, reliable, and safe -- I just wait until the crowd has thinned.
A pair of headphones is a great deterrent to most train nuisances. Except ... I still want to #$%$% that punk that decided to pull the emergency door release to get off the train just as it was about to pull away from the station a few months ago ... why does this require everyone to get off the train?
Gripe -- in the last several months I've ridden public trains in DC, NY, and Tokyo. Atlanta is the worst at blocking doors/not-standing-aside so that passengers can get off the train first. We're suppose to be more courteous in the south, aren't we?
By Winkasdad29
Jul 3, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this
A tip for those who use XPRESS commuter bus and MARTA: Buy an XPRESS pass (20 or 40 trips) and a Breeze card loaded with 20 or 40 trips. The rule is you pay the agency you begin your ride with, and transfer for free to the other agencies. For example, I use my XPRESS pass to board the bus, obtain a Bus-to-Rail transfer from the driver, and use it to board MARTA rail. If you need to board another MARTA bus afterward, stand at the faregate, wait for it to open, and give your bus-to-rail transfer to the driver.
On your return trip, use your Breeze card to enter MARTA. Don't forget to tap your card when you leave MARTA. Some XPRESS routes are using Breeze, so tap your card when you board XPRESS. If your route's Breeze scanners are not operational yet, simply show your Breeze card to the driver.
It's also cheaper this way. A 20 trip XPRESS card is $45.00 - $2.25 per trip, so combined with your 20 trip loaded Breeze card which costs $30.00 - $1.50 per trip,
you'll spend $3.75 per day. Cheaper than a gallon of gas!
By Johnny Ego
Jul 3, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this
Why walk on the escalator instead of taking the stairs? Because it's faster, you dope, and because there are no stairs in some stations. So stand on the right like a civilized person or be prepared to get bumped.
A few more tips:
If we can hear your headphones from the other end of the car, they're too loud.
There's a reason for the rule against food in the stations -- rats. Big ones.
Make a hole and let us off the train before you try to get on, and we'll all get where we're going faster.
And for God's sake, don't stand there in the doorway when other people are trying to get on or off.
It ain't a perfect system, but every time I drive in Atlanta traffic I'm glad I live within walking distance of a MARTA station.
By Winkasdad29
Jul 3, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this
The general rule of commuting as far as escalators are concerned is stand to the right, walkers pass on the left. The reason commuters in a hurry do this is because you can walk up a moving escalator and arrive at the top FASTER than walking up stairs that don't move. Eventually, those stairs are going to be crowded with people, anyway, so start adapting now.
By HTP
Jul 3, 2008 7:26 AM | Link to this
To the poster who mentioned those walking up the stairs: GET WITH THE PROGRAM. In virtually every other city, people who do not wish to walk up or down the escalator need to stand on the right, thus leaving room for those who want to move fast to pass them by. It's rather rude to hold people up by taking up the whole space on the escalator, which leaves me no qualms about bumping people out of the way.
I say that the elevator is for those who are too lazy to walk. Leave the escalators for those who want to get where they're going faster.
By HTP
Jul 3, 2008 6:37 AM | Link to this
To the poster who mentioned those walking up the stairs: GET WITH THE PROGRAM. In virtually every other city, people who do not wish to walk up or down the escalator need to stand on the right, thus leaving room for those who want to move fast to pass them by. It's rather rude to hold people up by taking up the whole space on the escalator, which leaves me no qualms about bumping people out of the way.
I say that the elevator is for those who are too lazy to walk. Leave the escalators for those who want to get where they're going faster.
By HTP
Jul 3, 2008 6:33 AM | Link to this
To the poster who mentioned those walking up the stairs: GET WITH THE PROGRAM. In virtually every other city, people who do not wish to walk up or down the escalator need to stand on the right, thus leaving room for those who want to move fast to pass them by. It's rather rude to hold people up by taking up the whole space on the escalator, which leaves me no qualms about bumping people out of the way.
I say that the elevator is for those who are too lazy to walk. Leave the escalators for those who want to get where they're going faster.
By saturn 5
Jul 3, 2008 1:41 AM | Link to this
Have you noticed the trains on the north/south lines are clener and nicer than those on the east/west line? Hope marta is fair with train maintenance for all lines!
By Michael
Jul 2, 2008 10:58 PM | Link to this
Its so easy to blame racism for the MARTA problems. The truth is that its the people the run it that make is so bad. Racism isn't keeping the training from on running on schedule or the train dirty.
Second, racism doesn't exist any more. Its called culturism. People learn from their experience to dislike certain cultures. The color of your skin is just a coincidence, but its just so easy to label is as racism.
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