Atlanta,GA – For years there has been much talk about Atlanta’s crippling traffic congestion. Some steps have been taken to bring relief to frustrated commuters, but the problem marches on. However, there is one program that may be helping.
For about five years, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) has partnered with 12 metro Atlanta counties to give commuters the Xpress bus service. This service started out very slowly, but spikes in gas prices appear to have pushed many motorists to consider Xpress.
The Xpress bus service currently plies routes to Atlanta suburbs in such counties as; Henry, Clayton, Rockdale, Coweta, Cobb, Cherokee, DeKalb, Douglas, and Fulton. Xpress offers certain things that may appeal to many.
I ride the Route 430 bus that runs several daily trips between McDonough, Henry County and Downtown. Some Route 430 buses even go to MidTown. The first bus leaves McDonough at 5:30 am in the morning and the last one leaves at 7:45 am. For reverse trips, the first bus leaves the Civic Center at 3:31 pm and the last leaves at 6:05 pm.
The ride into Atlanta is quite relaxing. The seats are padded and recline and each seat provides individual overhead lighting and an air vent. The comfort level is so high that I spend most of my time napping. Normally, the ride to or from Atlanta lasts an hour, depending on the traffic and so I get a good long nap. Or, like many others, I spend time reading something or working on my cell phone.
Riding Xpress has other advantages. The fare is quite reasonable and costs less than what one spends for a month’s worth of gas to drive back and forth to Atlanta 5 days a week, 4 weeks per month. Before I started riding the Xpress bus, I spent as much as $60 per week to fill the tank of my van. That totaled $240 or more per month. On the other hand, I spend only $75 per month with Xpress.
The round trip on an Xpress bus is $5 per day. However, one may choose to buy a 20-ride pass for $45, a 40-ride pass for $85 or a 31-day pass for $80. For those who only ride the Xpress bus, $80 per month is all they pay.
However, for those who also ride Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), a pass is needed to pay a one-way fare each day. The great news is that a partnership between GRTA and MARTA allows for a free transfer from one to the other. Consequently, one only needs to pay 1 fare each way. I pay on the Xpress bus in the morning and get a free transfer to MARTA. In the evening I pay on MARTA and get a free transfer to Xpress.
MARTA offers a 20-ride pass for $30. Therefore, my 20-ride pass for Xpress and a 20-ride pass for MARTA costs me only $75 per month. Additionally, I spend about $20 per week on gas to get to and from the Park & Ride and to run other errands. The monthly savings that result from riding Xpress is noticeable.
In addition to the benefits of savings and relaxation, the Xpress service caters to those who need wheelchair assistance. Each bus is able to kneel to allow easier step up and each is equipped with a wheelchair lift. Brilliant!
There is also another accommodation. For those people who are concerned about being able to leave work for an emergency whenever one occurs, GRTA partners with The Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) program. This program provides each person, having a genuine emergency, the opportunity to get a ride home at anytime for at least 3 times per year. This program is real and it works. On one occasion I used the service to rush to hospital to see my son who was taken there.
The Xpress bus service continues to grow. Currently, there are nearly 30 routes and plans are afoot to increase that number. Ridership continues to grow. I remember days when there were more empty seats than people on the bus. Today, most seats are taken and there may be chance that one will have to stand. GRTA continues to build Park & Ride lots and recently we were told that millions of dollars were allocated to the Xpress program.
The expansion of Xpress means fewer vehicles on the streets of Atlanta and some relief for frustrated Atlanta motorists.
