MARTA's long-awaited NextGen bus network went live Saturday, marking the transit agency's largest and most comprehensive redesign since the 1970s. The overhaul consolidates and reroutes dozens of bus lines to prioritize frequency over coverage, meaning fewer routes but more buses running more often on the routes that remain.
The centerpiece of the launch is the Rapid A-Line, the system's first bus rapid transit route. It runs from the North Avenue MARTA station down through Downtown and the Southside to East Point, using dedicated red-painted lanes that are off-limits to private vehicles. Buses will run every 10 minutes all day, with signal priority at intersections to keep them moving. If you're not a MARTA bus, stay out of the red lanes.
The redesign has been in the works for years and faced plenty of skepticism from riders who worried about losing coverage in their neighborhoods. MARTA officials are betting that the improved frequency will offset the loss of some routes. Early results will be watched closely. For a transit agency that has struggled with ridership recovery since the pandemic, this is the biggest swing in a long time.
