MARTA parking to change

MARTA has advertised for a contractor to help the agency make more money from parking at its station lots, according to the agency.

MARTA currently offers free parking at 23 of its 38 rail stations, as long as vehicles stay less than a day and drivers have a card showing they just used the transit system. Drivers can pay to park longer-term at at least nine of those lots, for $5 to $8 a day.

Paid parking has long been a thorny question for MARTA. Planners are torn because they need money to build and maintain the lots, and parking is also an obvious vending opportunity. But the planners also want to encourage “choice riders,” those who have a car and could drive all the way to their destination, but choose to use transit instead.