MARTA launches on‑demand vans
Atlanta’s MARTA rolled out 'MARTA Reach,' an on‑demand van service blending fixed-route transit and ride‑sharing to serve select zones ahead of a bus network overhaul — a model that complicates contractor oversight and SMS integration (fox5atlanta.com).
MARTA put MARTA Reach into service on March 7, 2026, ran free rides through March 28, 2026, and set the ongoing one‑way fare at $2.50 starting March 28. (itsmarta.com) The service is active in 12 named zones across metro Atlanta, operates roughly 18 hours per day seven days a week, and promises a passenger pickup window of 30 minutes or less. (itsmarta.com) MARTA selected RideCo under a December 2, 2025 agreement to modernize paratransit and provide the on‑demand scheduling platform that powers the MARTA Reach app. (prnewswire.com) Permanent Dodge Ram ProMaster vehicles planned for Reach were sidelined by a nationwide USDOT manufacturer recall, so MARTA deployed leased Ford Starcraft vans temporarily; those temporary vans use a wheelchair lift (not a ramp), have two wheelchair positions, and lack bike racks. (cbsnews.com) Federal PTASP rules (49 C.F.R. Part 673) and the FTA’s updated Third‑Party Contracting Guidance require transit agencies to incorporate contracted and third‑party‑delivered services into their Agency Safety Plan and SMS processes, a compliance vector that applies to RideCo‑operated Reach and MARTA’s leased‑vehicle arrangements. (transit.dot.gov) MARTA timed fare collection for Reach to the agency’s Better Breeze rollout: the new tap‑to‑pay system goes live March 28, 2026, with a customer transition period to May 2, 2026, which creates a narrow window for backend integration and transfer‑credit validation between Reach, Breeze and MARTA’s fareback office. (itsmarta.com)
