On-Demand Transit Grows in Georgia

From small rural towns to metro Atlanta, Georgia communities are experimenting with on-demand transit to improve connections to existing transit and offer transportation to isolated communities.

2 minute read

April 20, 2022, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


MARTA bus with Atlanta skyline in background

MARTA's Reach program aims to put more transit options within passengers' reach. | Erik Gonzalez / MARTA Bus, Atlanta

“In the past 18 months, on-demand transit has launched across Georgia, from Atlanta to Valdosta to Gainesville,” writes John Ruch. “Advocates and critics differ on the details while agreeing on-demand has its place and its unknowns.”

“Providing fast, low-cost service for last-mile connectivity and other short trips has been difficult and it limits the appeal of transit as a mode of travel. If we can solve that problem with services like the Buc and MARTA Reach, we can make it much easier for people to choose transit,” said Jim Durrett, executive director of the Buckhead Community Improvement District (CID), which funded the Buc shuttle in that neighborhood.

Critics say on-demand transit is “inherently far less efficient than fixed-route buses,” making it “best suited to small-town, rural and suburban-sprawl areas” as an option for hard-to-reach areas with few other transit options. This is exactly how several small Georgia communities, such as Valdosta and Hall County, are using it. In a much larger city, Atlanta’s MARTA is exploring microtransit as a solution for other goals. “In metro Atlanta, two new on-demand programs are aimed at ‘last-mile connectivity’ for fixed-route transit riders, with the implication of boosting overall transit ridership.”

The next six months, writes Ruch, should provide a clearer picture of how effective on-demand transit programs will be in increasing ridership and bringing transit access to more Georgians.

Monday, April 18, 2022 in Saporta Report

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

2 hours ago - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

3 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

4 hours ago - Cities Today