Why MartaSucks.com?

Yes, you say, you KNOW MARTA sucks; after all you've ridden it , too.  So, why a website?  Contrary to the domain name, our goal is not merely to bash MARTA (that would be way too easy given their incompetence), but rather to bring some attention to the problems so that they might actually change!

What is is about MARTA in the past 6 to 8 months? The second half of 2005 saw Marta's service sink even further.  Delays, breakdowns and unexplained problems seemed to double in frequency.  I ride Marta every day, and I've seen the problems with my own eyes.  And now they have a 20 minute delay between trains after 9 am until afternoon rush hour and then again in the evening.  20 minutes?  That's insane!  That means, if it takes you

  • 20 minutes to drive to your local Marta station,
  • 5 minutes to park,
  • 5 minutes to get to the platform,
  • up to 20 minute wait for the next train,
  • a 20 or 30 minute ride, and
  • then a 10 minute walk on the other end

... that adds up to as much as an hour and half ONE WAY!  You could practically walk to your destination in less time!  And as bad as Atlanta's traffic is, 90% of the time, you certainly could drive it in much less time!

Many of you know that Apathy is rampant at MARTA (and indeed amongst most of Georgia's government employees from the state down to the city level).  The head of Marta is leaving and undoubtedly he'll be replaced with less qualified person from the program for friends of the political powers ("jobs for life in the metro Atlanta area for our buddies")

Is there any hope?  No, not unless enough of us get hopping mad and demand that our elected officials get ride of the lazy, fat, obnoxious and stupid employees who act like they have a job for life and than the customer is the enemy!  Marta needs to be privatized and run like a business, not an jobs entitlement program for minorities with personality disorders. 

And now that winter is upon us, we have the SHAM program (Shelter the Homeless in Atlanta on Marta).  Yes, now that it is cold, you will get the pleasure of sharing your ride on Marta with a smelly, urine and booze-soaked bum... if he hasn't taken up the entire seat!  And the panhandlers will be there to pitch their phony sob stories (see our list of bums! this year we'll add video of them doing their pitches)

Here, you'll find some recognition of the problems, or the discomforts and injustices you've suffered riding MARTA, a chance to express yourself and vent, and see some of the humor of MARTA. 

After all, every day riding MARTA is like your own private, rolling comedy club; with a bit more smell of urine and sweat!

What's Here!

  • The Problems of MARTA (of course)
    Vote for you favorite problem
  • The Humor of Riding MARTA
    Stories, news and photos from riding MARTA that make the rides more fun.
  • Resources, Tips and Useful Information to Know
    to make your rides safer, faster and easier
  • Bum Profile Gallery
    See photos of the regulars here!  Read the hit lines and stories they use!  they you can play "Spot the Bum" while you ride!
  • Vote for the Bum Du Jour
    Every day we post another photo of an anonymous MARTA rider.  Vote on whether he or she is a wino, bum, con man, druggie, perv, or just a regular rider like you.
  • Online store
    Looking for a coffee mug, t-shirt,

Footnote: I suppose some site visitors could be poor typists and actually be looking for "MarthaSucks.com" .. but this website has nothing to do with her!