Atlanta Commutes Changing

Four dollar gasoline is finally driving Atlantans from their love affair with gridlock and rush hour traffic. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that traffic is down and MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) ridership is up... way up! The traffic in Atlanta is considered by many to be the worse on the planet, but there are indications that the sudden rise in gas prices are finally forcing commuters in the metro Atlanta area to consider alternate routes: MARTA, van pools, commuter buses, telecommuting, etc.

Atlanta's gas price has risen from $3 to $4 a gallon in six short months. The ARC ride-share database shows a 221 percent increase in car pool applications over the past year (May 2007 vs. May 2008), more people are considering riding with anyone who is heading to the same place. MARTA Rail ridership is up by 15 percent from a year ago. MARTA only covers Fulton and DeKalb Counties, other metro counties have express buses which feed into the MARTA System. Express bus ridership is up 67 from a year ago and there are signs that it will continue to increase as gasoline prices rise and folk have 30 to 50 mile drives into Atlanta. Douglas County vanpool ridership is up 160 percent from a year ago.

Read the entire AJC article on Atlanta's changing commuters here.


plez sez: i have one of those gas guzzling SUVs in my garage... and i leave it in the garage as much as possible. i consolidate trips, no more idling in fast food drive-thru - i go inside, only attend meetings that require my attendance.

i still wince and cuss george w. bush everytime i have to spend another $70 to fill that sucker up! thankfully, i'm able to get most of my work done from my home office, i cannot even imagine having to commute in atlanta's traffic... i would be on one of those express buses or at the MARTA station... no doubt!