MARTA outlines ridership recovery, FY26 budget and Next Gen bus network; DeKalb-focused projects move toward final design

MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood told the DeKalb County Commission on June 3 that the transit agency is seeing a steady return of riders after earlier under‑reporting problems tied to aging fare gate hardware. "It was an under reporting of actual ridership conditions," Greenwood said, describing a technical issue with station tap readers that has now been corrected and will be fully replaced with an automated fare collection system coming later this year.

Greenwood said MARTA submitted a FY26 operating budget balanced at $652,000,000 and a $561,000,000 capital program focused on state-of-good-repair projects. He highlighted investments intended to keep service "safe, clean and reliable," including a police pay increase and station rehabilitation work targeted at 5 Points, Indian Creek and the Airport station.

The CEO also outlined the Next Gen bus network, which the MARTA board planning and capital projects committee supported on May 22 and which the full MARTA board is scheduled to consider for adoption on June 10. If adopted, Greenwood said, the agency will begin rider education and preparatory work for a December 2025 launch. He said the redesign would enlarge the number of people with 15‑minute frequent service access, increasing access to jobs within an hour and adding "74,000 more people" with frequent service.

On projects specific to DeKalb County, Greenwood briefed commissioners on multiple capital initiatives: the 11‑mile Buford Highway ARRT (bus rapid transit‑style improvements) is advancing from 30% to final design; Candler Road ARRT is in the procurement stage for a final design consultant; the South DeKalb and Stonecrest transit hubs have reached 30% design; and a South DeKalb Transit Initiative funded by a federal capital investment grant is narrowing locally preferred alternatives toward bus rapid transit. Greenwood said MARTA is also continuing environmental work and negotiations to secure right‑of‑way agreements with CSX for Clifton Corridor alignments and is considering an Armor Yard terminus as an alternative to Lindbergh.

Commissioners pressed MARTA staff on details during a lengthy Q&A. Commissioner Ladina Bolton asked whether the undercount was systemwide; Greenwood replied it was and that the agency will replace aging fare gate components with AFC2. Bolton asked whether MARTA could use the World Cup events to raise revenue; Greenwood said MARTA is pursuing grants and partnerships, and that open‑payments readers (tap by credit card or phone) will help event visitors use the system. Commissioner Nicole Messiah asked for the number of distinct individuals engaged during Next Gen public outreach; Greenwood said in‑person station and on‑bus canvassing targeted riders but that exact counts of distinct individuals would be provided later.

Several elected officials and DeKalb residents raised local concerns during public comment, including requests for light rail and stronger service in South and East DeKalb; those remarks were recorded during the general public comment period and were directed to the broader transit discussion.

MARTA staff including Chief Capital Officer Carrie Roach answered station‑level questions: Roach said Eastlake Station work is being done in phases with an estimated 75% completion of items she described (north side bridge work done, elevator installed on north side), and that the South DeKalb transit hub is currently projected to open in 2027. Roach said MARTA is sequencing a roughly $1 billion station rehabilitation program over multiple years and is prioritizing stations (5 Points and Airport among the first) in part to support anticipated World Cup activity.

Greenwood closed by noting MARTA’s outreach program for Next Gen bus network changes — more than 50 meetings systemwide — and awards that MARTA marketing recently received. He said MARTA will provide commissioners with additional data requested during the meeting, including exact counts of distinct participants from outreach and a station-by-station schedule for the station rehab program.

Why it matters: MARTA’s network and capital choices directly shape transit access and development opportunities across DeKalb County. The Next Gen bus network, if adopted, is designed to expand frequent service and job access within an hour for large numbers of residents; capital investments and TOD activity near DeKalb stations could reshape local development patterns.

What’s next: MARTA planned a June 10 board vote on Next Gen bus network adoption and a June 12 MARTA board vote on the FY26 operating budget. DeKalb commissioners requested follow‑up data on outreach counts, station rehab phasing, and potential revenue options tied to major events such as the FIFA World Cup.

(Reporting based on presentations and Q&A during the June 3, 2025 DeKalb County Committee of the Whole meeting.)