FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
April 20, 2023
MARTA MARKS EARTH DAY WITH ONGOING COMMITMENT TO SYSTEMWIDE
SUSTAINABILITY, TRIP GIVEAWAY
ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is highlighting its sustainability efforts in recognition of Earth Day, April 22, and to mark the occasion gave free trips to the first 10,000 customers who downloaded the new Breeze Mobile 2.0 app. Download the app here
MARTA (itsmarta.com). MARTA is also marking Earth Day with an ongoing commitment to sustainability initiatives that have a positive impact on the environment and the communities we serve.
“Every day is Earth Day at MARTA,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood. “While using transit, itself is a climate solution, we continue to lower our carbon footprint by switching to a zero-emission fleet, ensuring our facilities are energy-efficient, and providing healthy community amenities such as fresh
markets, neighborhood gardens, and soccer pitches.”
MARTA currently has six electric buses on the streets, and 31 more are on the way, and has committed to using electric buses on all its bus rapid transit (BRT) routes. The remaining bus fleet is made up mostly of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses that reduce emissions the equivalent of keeping over
370,000 cars off the road or powering almost 300,000 homes for one year.
MARTA offers free electric vehicle charging stations at six rail stations (North Springs, Edgewood/Candler Park, College Park, Lindbergh, H.E. Holmes, and Doraville), the Windward Parkway Park & Ride, and the Laredo Bus Garage employee parking lot. MARTA is in the process
of transitioning to electric for its non-revenue vehicles, with a goal of at least a 10 percent increase in electric non-revenue vehicles every year moving forward. And a reminder that all MARTA’s trains and the streetcar run on electricity, meaning no tailpipe emissions.
MARTA’s $300 million multi-year Station Rehabilitation Program uses only energy-efficient materials and addresses issues such as freeze/thaw cycles, that over time can cause larger, more expensive structural problems. Continually addressing these items leads to
healthier stations for customers and alleviates significant day-to-day maintenance issues and costs.
MARTA strives to be a strong community partner, implementing programs that encourage healthy habits such as MARTA Markets that bring fresh produce to rail stations in food “deserts,” partnering with Global Growers to establish a farm near Indian Creek Station for local
farmers from Burundi, and building soccer pitches at rail stations for a citywide youth soccer league.
MARTA’s transit-oriented development (TOD) program transforms under-utilized MARTA surface parking lots into mixed-use development with an affordable housing component to ensure senior and low-income residents have convenient access to transit.
Recently, MARTA was awarded the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Gold Level for its Sustainability Commitment Program, noting that MARTA reduced water use by 40 percent, greenhouse gas emissions by 27 percent, energy use by 14 percent, and waste by
13 percent, over a seven-year period. Learn more about MARTA’s sustainability efforts here
MARTA (itsmarta.com).
