FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2020
MARTA CIRCULATOR ROUTE PROVIDES ESSENTIAL TRANSIT SERVICE TO FRONTLINE WORKERS IN SOUTH FULTON COUNTY
Oakley Industrial Boulevard Route Serves Major Warehouses, Distribution Centers
ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), the South Fulton Community Improvement District, and the cities of Fairburn and Union City have collaborated to provide transit service to workers from several large employers in South Fulton County that distribute goods deemed essential during the ongoing pandemic and that fuel our local and national economies.
As part of the Essential Service Plan implemented on April 20, MARTA began running a circulator bus route from College Park rail station to Union City and Fairburn with ten stops along Oakley Industrial Boulevard to service Clorox, U.S. Foods, DHL, and Duracell, among others. A circulator route is shorter than a regular route, and non-linear, connecting multiple destinations within a community where larger buses on a fixed route can’t easily travel.
“As this health crisis stretches into its sixth month, we remain committed to providing safe, essential transit,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker. “The Oakley Industrial circulator route is a reliable way for the several hundred employees who work at the companies in South Fulton County to not only fulfill the ongoing need for essential goods but maintain their jobs during such an uncertain time.”
MARTA worked with the communities in South Fulton to implement the circulator route after seeing a demand for safer access to these job centers, many of which have increased staffing levels to meet the growing need for goods and services created by the pandemic.
“We have received a lot of positive feedback about this route from employees, companies, and community leaders, and the ridership remains high” said MARTA Chief of Bus Operations and Urban Planning Collie Greenwood. “Our plan is to continue operating the circulator through at least the end of this year as we continue to evaluate our overall bus service.”
The South Fulton CID continues to hear from employees who are appreciative of the shorter, safer commute to work, and is currently working to enhance the route with sidewalks, improved lighting, and bus stops.
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Contact: Stephany Fisher
MARTA Communications
470-419-9216
sfisher@itsmarta.com
Contact: Joddie Gray
South Fulton CID Administrator
678-593-0654
www.southfultoncid.com
Contact: Elizabeth Carr-Hurst
Mayor
City of Fairburn
470-755-0083
mayorhurst@fairburn.com
Contact: Vince Williams
Mayor
Union City
770-964-2288
vwilliams@unioncityga.org