MARTA Board extends contract of General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker

Jeffrey Parker, general manager and CEO of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), will continue to serve in his current role for three more years after the MARTA Board of Directors unanimously voted to extend his contract through 2026.

“Jeff has earned this extension, especially for his steady leadership during the pandemic and all its challenges,” said MARTA Board Chair Freda Hardage. “His work negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement and the passage of the 15th Amendment in our four jurisdictions are among several accomplishments during his tenure.”

Parker joined MARTA as general manager and CEO in March 2018 with a contract that expired in 2023. This decision extends the contract to June 2026.

“I am grateful to the board for their continued support and faith in my ability,” said Parker. “We have accomplished a lot together in two years and I am excited to improve upon that record with our expansion plans and our renewed focus on the customer experience, as well as navigating the post-pandemic world of public transit.”

Under Parker’s leadership, MARTA balanced its budget for a ninth consecutive year, and has been able to provide essential transit service during the pandemic without any layoffs or fare hikes. Parker has also worked closely with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 732 to negotiate a new contract that includes raises for bus and rail operators and to ensure front line workers are receiving additional support, financial and otherwise, during the pandemic.

Parker was also at the helm of a successful Super Bowl LIII, when MARTA transported half a million football fans. His steady leadership was instrumental in the extension of the penny sales tax through 2057 in the city of Atlanta, Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties.

Under his contract, Parker was eligible for a raise and bonus of up to 10 percent of his base salary but expressed to the board that both seemed inappropriate this year.