For teenagers in metro Atlanta, a driver’s license often symbolizes freedom.
But for countless teens across the sprawling suburbs, and even sometimes within the city limits, that freedom remains frustratingly out of reach. For those who can’t drive or frequently visit destinations far from home, the reality is often one of parental reliance and limited connectivity options. This is where MARTA, the backbone of Atlanta’s public transit, should step in to help. But the restricted range of its rail system and the complexity of commutes from the metropolitan area fail to live up to the vision of accessible transit, instead creating a barrier to teen autonomy.
In the areas MARTA serves, teens often use the rail system for various aspects of their lives. I recently surveyed 50 Metro-Atlanta teens, which revealed that 40% primarily used MARTA trains for commuting to work and internships, attending entertainment events such as concerts and sports games, and socializing with friends. 20% used the system for running errands and visiting friends and family. The remaining 40% of respondents had never used MARTA or had used it only once or twice.
In the responses, teens showed overwhelming support for MARTA rail expansions to more cities in the metro Atlanta area.
“It would help a lot. At least it would make me want to go out more and hang with others,” Archi Siddhapura, 16, stated.
The data shows that public transportation is helpful for teens in many ways. However, due to MARTA’s limited service, teens in Atlanta who want to explore other areas have few options to do so without a car. Many teens rely on their parents for transportation, leading to increased car dependency, higher CO2 emissions, and heavier traffic.
Despite being a core influence on the city’s culture, it feels like MARTA has neglected teenagers’ voices and opinions. A 2018 survey, published in the “International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology,” shows that teens account for the greatest number of public transportation users. However, this can be addressed by involving youth in public transportation planning.
Other areas have considered this before, one being St. Lucie County in Florida. Funded by a $117,000 Federal Highway Administration grant, the St. Lucie Metropolitan Planning Organization partnered with their local school board to educate approximately 400 high school students on local transportation issues and have them develop a long-range transportation plan for their county. This initiative not only promoted civic engagement among teens but also informed elected officials about their constituents’ desires.
Atlanta teens also have opinions on how public transportation can be reformed. They draw comparisons to public transportation systems in other cities when considering what they would like to see from their governments and MARTA.
“I have used the rail system in London. [There] were many stops and routes throughout their boroughs [zones], and their card system was extremely efficient,” said Faaria Rehan, 16, who is interested in urban development. “Also, they had many different transit types, such as the underground tube, [Docklands Light Railway], the tram, and double-decker buses.”
Some counties in metro Atlanta are underserved in terms of access to direct, fast public transportation, such as Cobb and Gwinnett counties, which are highly populated and diverse. Despite the high number of commuters to Atlanta, voters in both counties have historically rejected MARTA rail expansions. Gwinnett’s latest attempt was in 2019, and Cobb has not put rail funding on the ballot since 1971, after multiple proposals failed to pass.
Services like CobbLinc and Ride Gwinnett offer bus services that connect to certain MARTA rail stations. Additionally, Gwinnett County has promoted public transportation initiatives across its 17 municipalities with the 2023 Ride Gwinnett Transit Development Plan. But plans like these do not truly address teen concerns or desires for change in their communities.
Understanding teenagers’ attitudes towards public transportation can help improve the system for all riders. One major concern among teens about MARTA is safety. According to Siddhapura, implementing more teen-friendly safety measures would “[help] parents trust teens to use [MARTA].”
Teens support connecting MARTA to more third spaces that allow for socialization. Expanding bus lines or routes to cities like Kennesaw or Lawrenceville — places that house universities, malls, and downtown areas teens frequent — could significantly increase ridership and teen \ connectivity.
Until MARTA sheds its limitations and embraces the voices of its younger rider demographic, cars will continue to dictate the sphere of teen connectivity, locking the promise of freedom behind a stretch of roads and a driver’s license.
