A bus fare doesn't exist in a vacuum. To understand the true cost of a transit ride, one report compared bus fares to the local minimum wage, revealing Atlanta, Dallas, and Salt Lake City to have the highest fares.
"A comparison between Georgia’s minimum wage and MARTA’s transit fare makes Atlanta’s transit system one of the nation’s most expensive," reports Ana Santos.
"Data from the Atlanta Regional Commission and Neighborhood Nexus shows that a worker making minimum wage would have to work a total of 41 minutes to make up for the cost of transportation in Atlanta," adds Santos to explain that conclusion.
According to the analysis of bus fares (i.e., not rail transit fares), Atlanta's affordability matches with DART, in Dallas, and UTA, in Salt Lake City, as the most expensive transit fares in the country. At the other end of the spectrum is Washington, D.C., which requires 20 minutes of work to cover the cost of a bus ticket.
FULL STORY: Report: MARTA one of country’s least affordable transit systems
MARTA Could Make the Atlanta Streetcar Free Again
They say if you love something, you should set it free.
MARTA's 2015 Budget Expands Rail Service
While many transit agencies around the country have increased fares in recent months to deal with budget deficits, Atlanta's MARTA has reported good financial news and has even proposed a 2015 budget that expands rail service.
MARTA Asking Riders For Feedback On Route Redesign
Atlanta's transit agency is asking for public feedback before a major system redesign.
The Top Urban Planning Books of 2021
Planetizen's annual list of the top urban planning books of the year is here—maintaining a tradition that dates back to 2002.
The Roadway Expansion Paradox
Motorists want expensive roadway expansions provided that somebody else foots the bill, but when required to pay directly through tolls, the need for more capacity often disappears. What should planners do?
Urban Exodus: Data Don't Support the Popular Pandemic Narrative
Americans fled cities in waves during the pandemic, right? Not to so fast.
Equity and Transit Go Hand in Hand for the Pandemic Recovery
Equity illuminates the light at the end of the tunnel for U.S. transit agencies, according to a recent report by the Urban Institute.
Miami Reinstates E-Scooter Program
After abruptly ending its shared e-scooter program last month, Miami is letting the devices return to its streets–with some new rules.
Doubling Down on Bus Rapid Transit in Northern Virginia
Arlington County plans an expansion of the D.C. region's first Bus Rapid Transit line.
Nelson\Nygaard
BRAILSFORD & DUNLAVEY
Water Replenishment District (WRD)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Royal Oak, Michigan
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
