Essay: MARTA trains, buses made life better for Midwest transplant

Editor's note: Recent opinion pieces on these pages have focused on MARTA’s current shortcomings (and possible fixes), disconcerting financial decisions involving transit, and the cost-prohibitive outlook on new MARTA infill stations. 

Today, it’s time for something different. A positive take on the full experience of Atlanta transit today, courtesy of Shane Senzatela, a Midtown resident who moved down from Ohio a few years ago. His suggested title for the following essay: “MARTA Will Change the Way You See Atlanta.”

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Dear Editor:

In 2019, my life was dragging. I was living in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, where every outing required a car, and every commute meant staring at endless asphalt. I wanted to be in a city where I could move freely without a car. I landed on relocating to Midtown, Atlanta, and it quickly became my home.

Since then, MARTA bus and rail has been the backbone of my daily life. I am a consultant. I travel to different client sites across the metro, both ITP and OTP. Unlike what many assume, I can get to them with public transit. It takes coordination and sometimes an extra 15 minutes, but MARTA gets me there. I transfer, I tap my Breeze card, and I arrive where I need to be without steering-wheel rage, parking garages, or Uber’s dynamic pricing. And I do it by choice, because I believe shared systems are strongest when everyone participates.

I am fortunate to have options. I own a car, but it often sits untouched for weeks. I know this choice is a privilege, with many Atlantans riding MARTA because they must. I ride it because I believe choice and access should belong to everyone. 

When I tell my Midtown neighbors that I commute exclusively on MARTA, they often respond with disbelief. “I only take it to the airport,” they say, or: “I would never ride a bus. Aren’t they dangerous?” These reactions reveal a huge gap between perception and reality. MARTA is not a last resort. It is reliable, safe, and easy. 

I ride MARTA because it makes Atlanta feel alive.

One of my favorite MARTA memories came a week before Beyoncé’s 2025 stop in Atlanta. I was exhausted after a long day and boarded a train late at night. Across from me sat a woman singing “Texas Hold ’Em” to herself. I smiled at her, playfully sang backup, and struck up a conversation. She told me she was not going to the concert, though Beyoncé was her favorite artist. We spent several stops talking about music and its ability to get you through life’s hard seasons. When I finally stepped off at my stop, my exhaustion was gone. The ride reminded me that this city is filled with interesting, kind people if you allow yourself to meet them.

That conversation was not an exception. MARTA connects us. In a city too often segmented by income and zip code, transit puts everyone on the same level. On a bus or train, we are simply people traveling together.

Of course, MARTA is not perfect. It has been underfunded and under-appreciated for years, even as millions of trips are taken monthly. It deserves more coverage and respect, especially for the riders who have kept it afloat throughout the decades. Yet what I see on my trips gives me hope. I meet professionals in suits, healthcare workers in scrubs, students heading to class, and retirees running errands. They know its rhythms, its reliability, and its value—lessons I’ve learned from riding beside them.

I know other Atlantans have decided that while trains can be tolerated, buses are beneath them. I wish they knew the truth: Buses are the most underrated gem in the system. They are on time. They are efficient and safe. The driver sets the tone for respect and civility. Bus drivers know the city better than anyone, and they know their riders, too. There is a calm sense of routine, of people taking care of one another.

Delays happen, of course, but traffic creates delays, too. The difference is that on MARTA, I can read, talk with a fellow rider, or simply relax while the city moves around me. That freedom is worth more than any time I’ve spent gripping a steering wheel and burning gas while the skyline refuses to get any closer.

Atlanta prides itself on community. We see it in Piedmont Park festivals, Beltline strolls, and Braves celebrations. But when it comes to public transit, too many people see it as being beneath them. That stigma hurts all of us. The truth is MARTA is only as strong as the people who believe in it.

I imagine a different future. I picture more executives and nurses, more teachers and consultants, more artists and retirees, all riding together. Visitors marvel at how seamless MARTA feels and how effortlessly it connects Atlanta’s neighborhoods. Imagine Atlanta being known not for gridlock but for the collective movement of its people.

This is not a fantasy. MARTA already works better than most people realize. It is accessible and ready to grow if more Atlantans embrace it—or at least try it once. The system does not need pity. It needs participation.

I ride MARTA because it makes sense. I ride MARTA because it saves me money, time, and stress. But most of all, I ride because it makes Atlanta feel more like a community. I have seen neighborhoods from the ground up, not through a windshield. I have felt the pulse of the city, not just its traffic.

If you live in Atlanta and your only MARTA experience was a quick ride to the airport, I encourage you to take another trip. Ride the bus to The Battery Atlanta or Six Flags Over Georgia. Hop on a train to Mercedes-Benz Stadium or Lenox Square mall. Give it a chance. You may be surprised by what you find. 

MARTA was built for Atlanta, and it’s up to all of us to truly make it for everyone. The more of us who ride it, the more connected and vibrant Atlanta will become.

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Originally from Columbus, Ohio, consultant Shane Senzatela now calls Atlanta home, where he’s traded highway commutes for MARTA rides. In his free time, he enjoys the theatre and symphony and is often convincing friends to play just one more board game.

As for what inspired the above Letter to the Editor, Senzatela says: “So often, we focus on what MARTA lacks, but my goal was to spotlight its everyday strengths and show how much possibility already exists. My hope is that someone reads this and feels inspired to change their commute to include MARTA.”

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