More On MARTA's Plans For The Braves Shuttle

effectively means cutting my ability to attend Braves games. I plan on making my voice heard on this issue. I see your point on being able to charge more for parking, but I would think that the hit on attendance would far outweigh the extra money made in the lots. I can’t believe that all of those people packed like sardines on the Braves shuttles before and after the game will simply drive to the stadium and park instead. Every time I convince a friend to use the shuttle service with me, they are amazed by its efficiency and tend to be more willing to attend more games.

Just another reason why TC is the best blog out there. What other network has FTN (Fan Transportation News)

My wife and I always use the shuttle to go to games. Paying for parking and the hassle of traffic are just major turnoffs so to speak. How much they charge for parking is already ridiculous, so I can’t imagine them wanting to charge more.

This makes me sad.

Attendance will drop and the people who stop coming will be those who did not park near the stadium before and will not park there afterward. The Braves will not get a bump in parking lot capacity, as those who used MARTA before will simply find getting to the park no longer worth it.

MARTA, we hardly knew ye.
 
Or in my case, didn’t know you at all.

I used MARTA once when I was 12 and almost got into a fight with a grown man. Public transportation is for homeless people.

that kills my idea of the Braves funding it.

Being in Boston for school the majority of Red Sox fans take the public transportation to the game since Fenway is within walking distance from 2 different train stops. If the Braves and MARTA could work out a train stop where the Braves help cover some of the costs then im sure the Shuttle problem would be settled and it would probably increase attendance.

my wife and i are planning in moving to atl next year from ny. we just went down over the mets series, and took the shuttle. it was so easy and a lot of people took it.

i do not understand how agencies like Marta and the MTA are always hurting for money and are cutting service. Both organizations are so poorly run.

No, it’s not ideal. I definitely know that! I’ve used it for a lot of reasons over the years. But while I absolutely and fully support gondeee’s urging that voices be heard and presence be made at meetings to preserve this convenience, I feel the need to point out that regular route MARTA buses will still run by the Ted every 15-20 minutes from a couple of train stations, as they always have (you get one free rail to bus transfer per trip). I understand that they won’t be express shuttles and nowhere near as convenient, but it’s not like they’re cutting all service in the area off and you have no other option but to walk from the train station. The only one I know of off the top of my head is the #17 bus from the GSU station, but you can go to the MARTA website and do the work for yourself as to the other 3 or 4. Yes, sometimes doing something you want to do takes a little effort. Heartbreaking, isn’t it? I am sorry for the (projected) loss of convenience of the shuttle, I do not work for MARTA, and I am def not defending any poorly run governmental agency. I do urge those of you who do use it to use the links gondeee provided and make your opinions known. But with all our governmental agencies being desecrated by poor management and being drained by excessive pension funds, you may want to go ahead and develop alternate plans if this plan goes through. If there’s something you love and really want to do, you can find a way. That’s how I learned to park for free when I go to games.
On another note, I find it very interesting about that law in the 80s, as a few years ago MARTA was charging a $1 surcharge for the shuttle. People were pretty PO’d about that then. I thought that was why they stopped the surcharge.
And another note, you may want to consider only putting one trip on your MARTA card per time you take it; my father and I have had problems with them deducting too much from the card per trip when we’ve put multiple trips’ worth of $ on it.
Ok, gotta go or I’ll miss my opportunity for my free parking spot for the game tonight.

… (which, by the way, is directly tied in with WHY I visit Atlanta) I have always used MARTA and the bus shuttle service… there’s just no way on earth that I, as an outsider unfamiliar with the territory, would risk driving in the downtown core. At that’s especially true of the situation after the game — I cannot imagine trying to figure how/where to get out of there in the dark with 20,000 or so of my closest friends. Elimination of this service would definitely factor into my decision-making process.

Basic rule of marketing: if you have customers interested in your product, help them get to your store.