The city of Atlanta announced March 31 that the Atlanta Streetcar will remain fare-free for the rest of 2015. The city will take this additional time to review system attributes and determine how the streetcar’s fare system can best interface with the MARTA Breeze system, while also taking advantage of emerging technology, to ensure that riding the Atlanta Streetcar remains an easy, convenient and green option. The announcement was made during the Central Atlanta Progress 74th annual meeting.
“We have a state-of-the-art streetcar, built on principles of sustainability that make our lives easier, reduce congestion, reduce our dependence on cars and contribute to cleaner air,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “The fare collection system should be easy for commuters and visitors, and in this case, we can do better. We want the Atlanta Streetcar to be a habit for Atlanta’s residents and visitors, and streamlining the fare process will benefit our riders.”
The city is committed to collaborating with our transit partners to design a system that works equally well for everyday commuters and occasional riders, all while reducing the impact on our environment.
Additionally, the city is looking at smartphone apps that would include trip-planning tools. In the future, riders should expect to access alerts and schedule information, check real-time arrivals and find information about Streetcar-accessible activities and events.
The original budget projected $304,000 in ticket revenue. Private, philanthropic support and operational savings will offset these funds.
