MARTA Mobility's missed trips and delays leave disabled passengers stranded in 2023

MARTA Mobility, a service for people with disabilities, faced ongoing airport delays and missed trips in 2023. The issues left passengers like Isaiah King struggling to reach critical medical appointments on time. Now, the agency is rolling out changes to address the problems.

Last year, MARTA Mobility recorded at least 2,200 missed trips—less than one percent of its total rides. A trip counts as 'missed' if the bus fails to arrive within 30 minutes of the scheduled pickup. For King, this meant waiting over an hour for his 10:15 a.m. ride to dialysis, forcing him to book a last-minute Uber for $50.

The delays stem partly from a driver shortage, which MARTA has tried to fix by hiring or recruiting 1,200 new mobility drivers since the pandemic. Despite this, long wait times persisted, with callers spending an average of 16 minutes on hold when booking rides—far above the agency's 2-minute target.

King also received letters accusing him of being a 'no-show' for appointments, even when the service itself was late. MARTA Mobility's policy allows suspensions for riders with too many missed trips, adding to the frustration.

To improve reliability, MARTA is introducing a new app called RideCo. The tool aims to streamline operations and reduce airport delays. Interim CEO Jonathan Hunt has admitted the service's shortcomings but pledged to boost on-time performance and customer support.

The missed trips and long waits have disrupted lives, particularly for those relying on MARTA Mobility for essential travel. With new technology and staffing efforts underway, the agency is working to prevent further delays and improve service for passengers like King.