Hello, MARTA rookies. This weekend might be a bear on the road. The Connector will have major lane closures. Paul McCartney is at Piedmont Park. Add a health care rally, a huge hair show and the Braves playing in their most significant series in several years, and it looks like those of you who generally avoid the transit system may have to hop on board. Never fear, though. We’ve published some tips (we’ve actually published these before, but everyone needs a refresher). Enjoy.
> 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.
> A single one-way fare is $1.75, so for new folks, you’ll need $4 for a round-trip ticket. That’s $3.50 for the back and forth and 50 cents for the Breeze ticket you use to access the platform. The firmer Breeze cards cost $5 but can be re-loaded with fares at any time. For more fare information, go to www.itsmarta.com.
> Before entering ... Wait until all the folks exiting are done. Are you really in that big of 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 spot a vacant seat, sit down.
> Chivalry is not entirely dead on MARTA. Younger, stronger riders have been known to offer up their seats to the older and less hardy.
> Yes, yes, yes ... Talking for your entire trip on your cell phone is rude. Plus, hello, shouldn’t a lot of these calls be private? But, if you must blab, 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 to the pole when the train’s moving, but don’t wrap your whole body around it. “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.”
> Learn to be efficient. MARTA veterans ride the car that will eventually stop nearest their departure station exit.
> Experience will teach you: 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. Note: on the weekends, trains come less frequently, and you can wait 15-20 minutes on a platform.
> 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.
> 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.
> 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.
> Wheeled carry-ons. You can bring your bike on board. You may have to wrestle it through the gates. 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.
> 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.
> And remember: It’s now legal for MARTA riders (with proper permits, of course) to carry concealed weapons. (Our advice: review the tips about on-board courtesy above.)
– Compiled by Mike Benzie, Mark Davis, Michael Gray, Jamie Gumbrecht and some helpful ajc.com readers.
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