With an expected influx of global visitors over the next five weeks, Atlanta’s rail transit system is entering what could be one of the most crucial tests in its 50-year history. But recent headlines regarding MARTA have been extraordinarily awful, if not nightmarish, on what’s swiftly becoming a national and international stage.
MARTA’s most recent resonant, negative publicity dates back to last summer, when riders experienced huge and perplexing delays during the Peachtree Road Race and a Shakira concert, followed by injuries endured by people on escalators at Vine City station after a Beyoncé concert.
Already delayed multiple times, MARTA’s planned launch ceremony and rollout of cutting-edge CQ400 trains was called off last week. Meanwhile, the transit system’s new convenient, tap-to-pay entry and exit system has reportedly encountered a serious problem: the glass used by new faregates keeps breaking, caused by vandals or people trying to avoid fares, per the agency.
The far graver issue is a recent spate of crime on MARTA’s system that’s included two stabbing attacks (one fatal and truly horrifying) and a shooting this past weekend at Midtown station. An 11Alive investigation into Federal Transit Administration data found that MARTA’s 60 reported incidents in 2024 and 2025 came out to roughly .99 incidents per million passengers—second only to Chicago, but statistical evidence that crime is rare and victimization unlikely.
One of the new CQ400 railcars on MARTA's tracks. Courtesy of MARTA
Nonetheless, as four years of 2026 FIFA World Cup hype starts transitioning to actual soccer fandom and matches in the city, the Trump Administration and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced on Thursday a federal investigation into MARTA.
A statement from Duffy reads, in part: "Every American should be disturbed by the horrific crimes we have seen on MARTA in the last month. No one should be forced to fear for their safety simply because they choose to ride public transit."
Ouch.
Now add to that an extra 300,000 to 500,000 Atlanta visitors (estimates have varied) between here and July 15, and that could make a recipe for… what?
On the bright side, MARTA leaders and Atlanta police officials have vowed to beef up staffing and security with extra undercover and uniformed officers, along with real-time monitoring from 12,000 security cameras. Officials have said the MARTA Hope program will also expand to help riders grappling with mental health issues, homelessness, or substance abuse.
Let’s gauge how the general public is feeling about all of the above. Please, dear Atlantans, take a second to log a vote below.
