The MARTA Board of Directors on June 12 adopted a $1.55 billion budget for 2026 that includes $652 million in net operating funds and $901.8 million for capital programming.
MARTA derives a significant part of its operating budget from sales tax revenue which is forecasted to be over $400 million in fiscal year 2026, with passenger revenue and federal assistance being the next largest sources of operating revenue at a combined $155 million.
The operating budget assumes a three percent salary increase for non-represented employees and fully funds the collective bargaining agreement obligations. Additionally, it accounts for an increase in healthcare and pension costs and includes a net reduction of 191 positions, many of which are vacant.
MARTA’s Capital Improvement Program continues to advance, with projects in the More MARTA Atlanta Program under construction such as the Rapid A-Line in Summerhill and the Five Points Station transformation, and those in various stages of planning and development such as the Bankhead Station platform extension and Cleveland/Metropolitan Avenue Arterial Rapid Transit (ART).
The More MARTA Clayton budget prioritizes Rapid lines in Southlake and along State Highway 54, and advancement of the Clayton County Operations and Multipurpose Facility and Justice Center transit hub projects.
The budget also includes $115 million for the new trains, the first of which will enter service next year, $104 million for the implementation of the new fare system, and close to $50 million for the ongoing station rehabilitation program, a multi-year project that will enhance safety, cleanliness, and reliability, and the overall customer experience at all 38 rail stations.
Bus route overhaul approved
The board also formally approved a massive overhaul of 100 MARTA bus routes, known as the NextGen Bus Network.
The overhaul, which will launch later this year, will nearly triple the number of people with access to frequent bus service and offer consistent seven-day-a-week coverage, according to a press release.
Some specifics about the NextGen Bus Network include:
- Expanding frequent service areas from 5 corridors to 17, making it easier for riders to reach their destinations.
- Increasing 20-minute service routes from nine existing routes to 11 planned routes for shorter wait times and quicker trips.
- Adding 12, new, on-demand service zones, offering flexible transit solutions for communities with lower population density.
- Providing seven-day-a-week service on all routes and on-demand zones, with flatter, more consistent frequencies throughout the day to meet riders’ diverse schedules.
- Streamlining fixed bus routes from 113 to 81 to create a simpler and more navigable network.
- Offering greater accessibility for residents and workers, with 74,000 more people and 76,400 additional jobs within close reach of frequent transit service that runs every 15 minutes or better. Additionally, 143,100 more residents will have access to service running every 30 minutes or better.
For more information about the NextGen Bus Network, visit martanextgenbusnetwork.com. Customers can view the final network here, find information about individual bus routes here, and compare routes in the existing network to those in the NextGen Bus Network here.