The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has announced plans to expand its MARTA Reach rideshare service to include Alpharetta beginning May 30. The new service will be available in a zone that includes Avalon, Downtown Alpharetta, and Georgia State University’s campus on Brookside Parkway and will provide connections to MARTA bus routes 85, 140, 141, and 142.
“This is the first expansion of MARTA’s service in Alpharetta in many years, and we are excited to see them introducing this solution,” said Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin. “Last mile connectivity, the gap between where a bus or rail lines ends and a rider’s actual destination, has long been a challenge that has limited public transit’s usefulness to our residents and those who work in Alpharetta. This on-demand shuttle service may be the solution to that problem.”
MARTA Reach is a six-month pilot program intended to test how on-demand shuttles can be used to make it easier and faster for customers to get to their destinations using MARTA. The program, which was launched in conjunction with Georgia Tech, debuted on March 1 in West Atlanta, Belvedere, and the Gillem Logistics Center and costs the same as a MARTA fare, $2.50. The service runs from 6:00 AM until 7:00 PM Monday through Friday and is a ridesharing service, meaning other passengers may be picked up and dropped off during a trip.
“We have seen significant interest and loyalty from the early riders of MARTA Reach,” said MARTA Chief Customer Experience Officer Rhonda Allen. “Most of our riders take many trips a day, connecting to grocery stores, schools and day care, social activities, and the broader MARTA system. We’re thrilled at the opportunity to expand the program to serve more riders in more parts of our region for the second half of the pilot.”
The expansion of MARTA Reach will be introduced in two phases:
Phase 1 (Introduction May 16):
• The current West Atlanta zone will be expanded to include Dixie Hills, alongside the Florida Heights and Collier Heights neighborhoods. New connections will be made to West Lake and Bankhead Stations.
• The current Belvedere zone will be expanded to include the neighborhood of Avondale Estates. New connections will be made to Kensington Station.
Phase 2 (Introduction May 30):
• A new zone will be introduced in North Fulton, including Georgia State University’s Alpharetta Campus, Downtown Alpharetta, and the Avalon District. Connections will be provided to Routes 85, 140, 141, 142 via the Mansell Park & Ride.
• The current West Atlanta zone will expand into the cities of Forest Park and Morrow, including new connections to Route 196, Clayton State University, Southern Regional Hospital, and Southlake Mall.
To order a ride download the MARTA Reach app from your smartphone’s mobile app store. The app will guide you to designated pick-up and drop-off stops near the beginning or end of your trip. If there is not a stop where you would like one, you can request additional stop locations in the app. Riders who do not have a smartphone can call MARTA Customer Service at 404-848-5000 to request a ride. All MARTA Reach vehicles are wheelchair and stroller accessible.