Transit

It’s National Bike to Work Week, and several organizations across the city including the Midtown Alliance, the Atlanta Cycling Festival and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition are celebrating with a number of special events to help commuters trade in four wheels for two.

Tomorrow, May 14, riders can join Earls Easy Riser Commute. Meeting at Earls Bike Shop at 8 a.m., cyclists will enjoy coffee and a ride geared towards beginners.“Starting to ride or commute around Atlanta by bike can be difficult (and let’s face it, a little scary),” program materials read. “That’s why the awesome crew over at Earl’s Bike Shop aim is to make that transition a bit easier by having this easy weekday morning ride with our friend Kevin, a bike commuter expert.”

The following day, Wednesday May 15, the 5^th Annual Queer Ride will be departing from the Georgia Beer Garden on Edgewood Ave. at 7 p.m. This easy, 6 to 8 mile ride to celebrate Atlanta’s LGBTQ community. “We go at a nice, easy, chattable pace; we keep it tight; we visit queer spaces where our cultural ancestors interrupted oppression; and we celebrate at queer-owned and queer-populated bars to celebrate along the way,” program materials read. “Tutus optional, smiles a must. (Allies welcome too!).

On Thursday, May 16, the mobile social will be rolling out from Woodruff Park at 7 p.m. “The Mobile Social is an Atlanta staple, open to all types of bicycle riders: Commuters, recreational cyclists, college students, hipsters, racers, riders, couriers, families with children, the curious and the bored, the timid and bold,” according to program materials.

On Friday, May 17, the 6^th Annual Donut Ride will be leaving from Revolution Donuts in Decatur at 9 a.m. This moderate, 16-mile ride includes three stops at local donut shops, and maybe even a quick detour for King of Pops, program materials indicate. Chow down on sweets, but cancel it out with cycling.

Finally, also on May 17, commuters are invited to join Midtown Transportation and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition on a bike train from the Eastside Beltline to 14th and West Peachtree. Check out the full route here to plan where you’ll need to hop on and off, and visit the Facebook page for more information.

For more information about how you can better utilize your bike to commute, click here.

Image via Wikipedia.

Looking for a job? The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will be holding a bus operator job fair on Saturday, April 27 at their headquarters from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

MARTA is looking for both full and part time bus operators, according to program materials. Starting pay is $16.38 an hour, with a top rate of $23.17. Additionally, employees enjoy paid training, benefits and unlimited use of the MARTA system.

To be considered, applicants must possess a valid CDL driver’s license or a CDL permit with passenger endorsements, according to MARTA materials. They’ll need to bring with them a resume with a vaild email address and phone number, and possess a social security card and a GED, a high school diploma or a higher degree.

MARTA headquarters is located at 2424 Piedmont Road NE. Applicants are encouraged to ride the train to Lindbergh Station – the building is located directly across the street.

Image via Wikipedia.

Transit commuters experienced significant delays this morning when a man jumped in front of a southbound train at Lindbergh Station around 7:30 a.m.

The incident is still under investigation, but Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) spokesperson Stephany Fisher told Atlanta Loop it does not appear the individual was struck by the train. He did, however, suffer a minor head injury.

MARTA Police and EMS responded to the scene, but the man was able to walk by himself to the ambulance where he was transported to the hospital, Fisher said. Motive has not been established, and officials won’t speculate on why the man ended up on the tracks.

Due to the service interruption the incident caused, large crowds and confusion grew at the Lindberg station and others nearby, the AJC reports. The tracks were cleared around 8:30 a.m., and full service was restored by 9 a.m., according to MARTA communications. During the delay, a bus bridge was established.

“We want to thank our customers for their patience and compassion as we handled this incident,” Fisher said.

Image via MARTA.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will be holding a job fair tomorrow – Saturday, March 2 – to hire new bus operators. 

Applicants must be 21 years of age or older, and should bring with them a valid driver’s license, a social security card and a seven-year motor vehicle record, MARTA materials indicate. Applicants must also hold a high school degree, a GED or accreditation from an institution of higher learning.  

MARTA seeks both full- and part-time bus operators. Pay starts at $16.38 per hour with a top rate of $23.17, according to MARTA materials. Perks include benefits, paid training and unlimited use of Breeze passes.  

The job fair will begin tomorrow at 9 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. Applicants should expect to stay at least three and a half hours to complete interviews and testing, according to MARTA materials. The fair will be located at MARTA headquarters: 2424 Piedmont Road, Atlanta, Ga., 30324.

Image via the National Parks Service.

To celebrate Black History Month, Lyft is offering discounted fares to African American museums, memorials, significant culture sites and select black-owned businesses in cities across the country.

In Atlanta, riders can use the promotional code BHMATL19 anytime in February for one free ride up to $10 to the following locations:

• Atlanta History Center
• Atlanta University Center Historic District
• APEX Museum
• Center for Civil and Human Rights
• Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

“As local riders look for ways to learn more about the many contributions Black culture has made to American history, Lyft is using its platform to bring greater understanding, connection, and support to our very own diverse community,” a Lyft Spokesperson told Atlanta Loop. “With 73 percent of our drivers in our area identifying with a minority group, we see the importance of celebrating the diversity that we have right around us.”

To learn more about the program, click here.

The intersection where Alexia Hyneman was killed.

Grady High School will hold a “Rally 4 Safe Streets” tomorrow on the third anniversary of the fatal crash that took the life of Alexia Hyneman. The student was struck by a car while biking across the nearby intersection of 10^th Street and Monroe Drive.

The rally is organized by the Grady Pedestrian Safety Coalition, a student-led group that advocates for making streets near schools safer – starting with Monroe Drive. According to program materials, the Renew Atlanta Complete Streets projects were slated to address dangerous conditions, but little progress has been made to date.

The program will include speakers from the coalition, remarks from Hyneman’s father, and an address from Councilmember Jennifer Ide, who will outline the steps the council is taking to make Monroe Drive safer, according to program materials. The coalition will also make clear the next steps community members can take to advocate for safer streets, and will conclude with a memorial for Hyenman.

The rally will be held Tuesday, Feb. 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Grady High School Auditorium.

Image courtesy of MARTA.

The Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) moved over half a million customers during the three-day Super Bowl weekend.

Saturday was MARTA’s busiest travel day in decades, with an estimated 270,000 rail riders, according to MARTA materials. This is more than double the number seen on a typical Saturday.

For the most part, trains ran a 24-hour-a-day schedule for 3 straight days without any problems or interruptions. David Springstead, MARTA’s chief of rail operations said in a statement this shows the preparedness of the transit authority as well as the commitment of its employees.

“We had two minor issues, one involving a trespasser near the tracks and another caused by a small fire on adjacent CSX property, where we implemented our contingency plans and minimized the service impact to our customers,” Springstead said in a statement. “On Sunday, the MARTA team worked quickly and efficiently to clear large crowds within 90 minutes of the end of the game.”

On the day of the Super Bowl, 155,000 customers took to the rail lines to enjoy the numerous activities downtown and see the game. According to MARTA materials, riders were greeted by more than 600 transit ambassadors working the authority’s 38 rail stations. These re-deployed administrative employees worked over a combined total of 3,000 hours during the ten-day operational period to help residents and visitors alike enjoy the celebration.

“I am proud of how Team MARTA handled these record crowds,” Jeffery Parker, MARTA’s general manager and CEO said in a statement. “We set a new standard in service this weekend and we want to maintain that as we move forward as an organization.”