FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2026
media@itsmarta.com
MARTA EXPANDS OPERATOR
TRAINING CAPACITY WITH NEW MOBILE CLASSROOM AT LAKEWOOD STATION
Training facility will
allow agency to certify bus operators more efficiently and improve service
reliability
ATLANTA — The Metropolitan
Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) today announced a major enhancement to
its operator training and certification pipeline with the launch of a new
mobile classroom located at Lakewood Station. The initiative dramatically
increases training capacity and speeds up the timeline for getting certified
bus operators on the road, which in turn will improve overall bus service
reliability.
Stationed
at the southeast end of the Lakewood Station parking lot, the dedicated mobile
classroom can accommodate up to 15 students per training session. In
partnership with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), the facility
allows MARTA to host both day and evening courses, enabling the agency to
train, test, and certify 30 or more students every 5 weeks, a significant
increase from the previous capacity of 30 students every 8 to 11 weeks.
This
expansion is made possible after MARTA officially achieved third-party tester
status following a comprehensive program review by both the Georgia Department
of Driver Services and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
The designation is the culmination of MARTA’s effort to build out internal
operator instruction and testing capabilities.
“Achieving
third-party tester status and deploying this mobile classroom is a gamechanger
for our bus operator workforce and our customers,” said MARTA General Manager
and CEO Jonathan Hunt. “By cutting our training timeline nearly in half and
expanding our session capacity, we are accelerating our ability to recruit,
train, and deploy qualified operators directly into service for our riders.”
The
mobile unit at Lakewood Station is fully equipped for classroom instruction and
hands-on preparation, offering prospective drivers a seamless, centralized
pathway from initial instruction to Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) testing
and official certification.
For
more information about career opportunities and operator training programs at
MARTA, visit itsmarta.com/careers.
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