ATLANTA — A new federal report said MARTA ridership dropped last year.

The news may come as a surprise for some because the transit authority reported a surge in ridership right after the I-85 bridge collapsed in 2017.

So 11Alive's team set out to VERIFY the facts.

QUESTION

Was MARTA ridership down in 2017, the same year of I-85 bridge collapse?

ANSWER

Yes.

EXPLANATION

According to the federal report, ridership was down 2.6 percent in 2017. 11Alive asked MARTA for its numbers, and they confirmed ridership was actually worse than that – 5.2 percent in 2017 compared to 2016.

MARTA couldn't specify why, but said it was studying factors like ridesharing and perceptions of MARTA, including a 2011 fare hike that bumped a one-way trip to $2.50.

So, what is the plan to increase ridership?

MARTA said their new expansion plans are part of it. It believes bus service in Clayton County and more service in the city will bring in more riders to the transit system.

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SOURCES

Stephany Fisher, MARTA Acting Senior Director of Communications