ATLANTA — As metro Atlanta’s Xpress bus service struggles to recover from the pandemic, major changes have been proposed that aren’t sitting well with some riders.
Representatives of the Atlanta Region Transit Link Authority say there’s no longer enough demand to justify the number of Xpress bus routes.
The service brings drivers from twelve different metro counties to Atlanta. Bernie Guzman travels from Gwinnett County to Midtown. The current proposal would eliminate her route.
“We all understand budget cuts,” said Guzman. “We all understand we’re still trying to come back from the pandemic. But you don’t have to hit the button where you’re taking away service.”
Ridership on Xpress buses plummeted during the pandemic, dropping 90% between 2019 and 2021. According to the authority, the system is slowly recovering but is still 70% below pre-pandemic levels.
As a result, Atlanta has asked riders to weigh in on a proposal to downsize.
The current plan would reduce the number of daily trips from 197 to 94. Some routes would be eliminated, some redirected, and others shortened to connect passengers to MARTA rail stations.
In a statement, the authority said changes are coming to “better align with current demand” and that all recommendations “will be reviewed by riders and the public…to guide the creation of a smaller but more efficient regionwide Xpress service.”
Bernie Guzman is considering taking the bus to the MARTA Civic Center Station, then taking the train to Midtown, and then walking to her job.
“They haven’t said much in terms of a price increase,” said Guzman. “A lot of us even said we would go with a price increase.”
The Atlanta Region Transit Link Authority will meet on August 1 to go over comments from the public. No changes are expected until next Spring.
To comment on the current proposal, click this link.