METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

City of Atlanta, MARTA to operate streetcar

Opting for the joint City-MARTA operational approach rather than a private contractor to run the system will save in excess of $5 million in the first five years.

May 15, 2014
City of Atlanta, MARTA to operate streetcar

Courtesy Atlanta Streetcar

2 min to read


Courtesy Atlanta Streetcar

The Atlanta Streetcar will be jointly managed by the City of Atlanta and MARTA, the City and MARTA announced this week in conjunction with their project partner, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID).

RELATED:Atlanta Revisits its Streetcar 'Routes' to Help Revitalize City

Ad Loading...

In the official notice to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the three project partners outlined the organizational structure, highlighting the expertise of MARTA, the technical capacity of the City’s Streetcar team and the cost efficiency of the joint approach. The plan requires the approval of the ADID and MARTA Board of Directors.

In its first year, the Atlanta Streetcar is projected to cost approximately $3.9 million to operate and maintain. Projected expense costs drop to $3.5 million in years two through four. Opting for the joint City-MARTA operational approach rather than a private contractor to run the system will save in excess of $5 million in the first five years.

“The Atlanta Streetcar is a transformational project that will have a significant impact on Atlantan’s mobility and the economic vitality of the city,” said Mayor Reed.

“After careful consideration of several operations and maintenance models, we determined this approach to be the most cost efficient in meeting system objectives and required technical expertise,” said ADID President A.J. Robinson. “ADID is pleased with the decision and looks forward to a successful, upcoming project launch.”

The organizational structure is based on the organization charts and the command lines of transit agencies with similar sized streetcar systems, and includes specialized technical oversight from the FTA and Georgia Department of Transportation. The Streetcar Management Committee, consisting of ADID and the City with technical advice from MARTA, will set operational policy for the system.

MARTA will oversee all management and staff for the system’s operations and maintenance functions for the first year. After that, the three project partners, with the approval of rail transit regulators, will transition operations to the City.

The City will create an Office of Transit and FTA Administration that will administer the City’s FTA grantee status and provide oversight and strategic direction for its transit operations. Tim Borchers, the City’s Streetcar Executive Director and Rich Krisak, MARTA’s Chief Operating Officer have the rail transit industry experience and expertise necessary to ensure a safe and professional operation of the Atlanta Streetcar.

More Management

A blue and white graphic with text reading "Surface Transportation Averts Shutdown, Leaves Transit Funding Gap."
Managementby Elora HaynesSeptember 4, 2026

Surface Transportation Extension Averts Shutdown, Leaves Transit Funding Gap

The stopgap keeps federal transportation programs moving, but missing advance funding could complicate the transit and rail projects agencies are planning next.

Read More →
Bus Tech Talk: Transit Tech Training...What's Changed?
Busby Alex RomanSeptember 4, 2026

Bus Tech Talk: Keeping Transit Technicians Ahead of the Technology Curve

LA Metro’s Obed Mejia discusses technician training, evolving maintenance technology, fleet replacement, and strategies for getting the most out of today’s transit fleets.

Read More →
Designing Stations Around the Passenger
RailSeptember 2, 2026

Why Simulating Pedestrian Movement Has Become Essential for Modern Rail Stations

Pedestrian microsimulation is helping rail planners identify bottlenecks, test station designs, and prepare complex transit hubs for growing passenger volumes.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Holly Arnold
Managementby Alex RomanSeptember 2, 2026

People Movement: Holly Arnold Joins Transdev and More

In this edition, we also cover recent appointments and announcements at Pace, CamTran, MCI, and more, showcasing the individuals helping to shape the future of transportation.

Read More →
A Chicago rail and rail car in the city.
Managementby Staff and News ReportsSeptember 1, 2026

NITA Launches New Era of Regional Transit in Chicago

The new authority replaces the RTA and brings CTA, Metra, and Pace under a strengthened regional framework for funding, planning, fares, safety, and service coordination.

Read More →
Canada-Qatar match fans underneath a TransLink SkyTrain overpass.
Managementby Elora HaynesSeptember 1, 2026

How World Cup Mobility Put Transit and Motorcoaches to the Test

Behind the seamless trips were months of planning, multimodal partnerships, and lessons agencies and operators can carry into the next mega-event.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
DART light rail and transit bus.
Managementby Staff and News ReportsAugust 31, 2026

DART Introduces Dashboard to Track Ridership Data

The initial release represents the first phase of DART’s efforts to expand access to ridership information. Additional dashboard features, data, and functionality will be introduced in future phases.

Read More →
Six people hold shovels in dirt at the SEPTA 11th Street Station ground breaking.
Managementby Staff and News ReportsAugust 31, 2026

SEPTA Breaks Ground on $44M Accessibility Upgrade at 11th Street Station

The project will add elevators and other upgrades to make the busy L station fully ADA accessible, with a yearlong closure expected to accelerate construction and save up to $3 million.

Read More →
A lineup of four public transit vehicles.
SponsoredAugust 28, 2026

FTA Opens $610M for Transit Fleet Modernization

Propane autogas gives transit agencies a reliable, funding-eligible option for fleet upgrades.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
NJ TRANSIT River Line Light Rail
Managementby Staff and News ReportsAugust 27, 2026

NJ TRANSIT Explores Unified Real-Time Customer Communications Platform

The agency is gathering industry input on AI, real-time data, and integrated communications technology as it prepares to procure a system that delivers faster, more consistent transit updates across every customer channel.

Read More →