ATL Board Approves Downsizing of Xpress Bus Service

ATL Board Gives Thumbs Up for Downsizing Xpress Bus Service

Big changes are coming to the Xpress bus service in Atlanta. The team calling the shots over at the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) board have given the go-ahead to a new game plan to trim down the bus routes, reduce the number of stops, and decrease park-and-ride locations. The board came to the decision at their recent meeting on August 3rd.

A Little Context

The shake-up is part of the “Redefining the Ride” initiative that kicked off back in April 2023. It followed a major drop in ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of folks catching the bus hasn’t gotten back to the levels we saw in 2019, leading to pretty empty buses travelling the routes and, in turn, a $4 million cut in funding for the Xpress program this year.

How This Shakes Down

Here’s the rundown of how it’ll look in the first phase:

• The daily trips will fall from 197 to 94. Out of these, 48 trips will wrap up at MARTA stations like Civic Center, Dunwoody, H.E. Holmes, College Park, or Indian Creek.
• The 27 park-and-ride lots will be cut down to 18.
• Downtown, midtown, and perimeter stops will drop from 55 to a lean 12.

This overhaul should take effect by Spring 2025, given all goes to plan.

Ridership Trends

On average, the Xpress service serves around 2,200 riders daily. This figure is a sight better than the measly 800 daily riders seen during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s still well short of the impressive 7,685 daily ridership of 2019.

How Commuters Feel

For some frequent commuters, like Maria Herbert, a transaction accountant who has been riding the Xpress bus from Douglasville to her office in midtown for the past 17 years, this reworked service will unfortunately mean more time behind the wheel. Her new route would require her to make two train transfers and walk a long stretch to reach midtown, instead of the current seven-minute stroll from the bus stop to the office.

Folks Going Back to Their Cars?

Herbert raises an important point. Once the current riders decide they’re better off driving, it means more cars on the road, more congestion, more smog – exactly what the Xpress bus service was meant to help avoid. It also means added costs, longer travel times, and fewer public transit options for folks who can’t really afford a personal ride.

Next Steps

Now the focus is on getting more potential Xpress riders to take an ATL survey. This will help inform the final planning for the Xpress service changes. Despite the impending service cuts, there’s hope ridership will bounce back, according to ATL.

The Bottom Line

The coming months will be crucial for ATL as they weigh up rider feedback while continuing to refine their plans. But one thing is clear: the coming changes to the Xpress bus service will not only impact frequent commuters but also have broader effects on the city’s traffic conditions and air quality.