ATLANTA TRANSIT (Marta, Beltline, Peachtree Streetcar, LovJoy Commuter, etc...)

[Julien]

Originally Posted by stepover

Looks like Amazon Zoox is coming to Atlanta

https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/20/amazons-zoox-to-start-testing-avs-in-atlanta-following-waymo/

Here’s an article in the AJC. Also, the pictures and cars shown are HD Mapping Mules, not the actual taxis. Here’s a picture of the taxi. An interesting quirk is that it’s asymmetrical and drives the same in either direction.

Also below is the new Waymo Zeekr that will deploy to ATL soon. Currently in testing in LA/SF.



https://www.ajc.com/business/2025/05/ano...-company-is-coming-to-atlanta-meet-zoox/

[Julien]

Posted about how ATL set record with Lime scooters. We have just been reward as the first city to get a 700 new e-bikes.

https://atlanta.urbanize.city/post/limeb...m_term=0_f2c8779a36-8162c89579-199680402

"...Atlanta was picked as the first U.S. city for LimeBike’s launch “thanks to the city’s continued investments in new infrastructure that make active travel safer and more accessible—from protected bike lanes to pedestrian-friendly paths like the Beltline,” according to an announcement today.....

The company has seen a 62 percent year-over-year total ridership spike in Atlanta over the same months in 2024; in the same period, e-bike ridership has grown more than 105 percent, per the company. (Lime, the largest micromobility provider in Atlanta, has logged 650,000 e-scooter trips and 86,000 e-bike trips in the city so far this year—and more than 5.5 million rides since the company launched here in 2018.)..."

[Julien]

Zoox just made it official.

[Julien]

Atlanta could become the only US city with 2 *fully public AV taxi services.

*In Austin, Tesla Robotaxi is still invite only so not FULLY PUBLIC, This could of course change at any time.

May Mobility is about to start service with Lyft. This will likely make ATL the only US city with 2 AV taxi services. The May Mobilities now all have Lyft branding, so it looks like service is imminent. Here is a pic of one from Sat. morning (and what a beautiful backdrop), and as you can see, it looks like it is Lyft ready. While I’m sure Waymo rightfully considers Tesla the most likely competitor, it looks like it could have some May Mobility competition in ATL starting any day now. So far nothing in the Lyft app.

Also behind the May Mobility car was a Waymo coming but I put my iPhone back in my running belt and then noticed another May Mobility next to it. So here is a late pic of a Waymo (blue) and its new competition, May Mobility (red).

Just an extra hopeful thought. Rivian announced an East Coast HQ near Krog on The Beltline. They are working on making their L2 ADAS system into a fully autonomous system. Wonder if the work (or some of it) and testing will be done here?

[AtlantaMustang]

You know the transit outlook for Atlanta is bleak when even us nerds on a development forum are talking about Waymo and Lyft all the time.

[montydawg]

Originally Posted by AtlantaMustang

You know the transit outlook for Atlanta is bleak when even us nerds on a development forum are talking about Waymo and Lyft all the time.

I really hate the fact that we are discussing cars in the transit forum.

Every time I see a new post in the MARTA forum, I’m eagerly hopeful that there is some positive announcement about rail expansion or funding for MARTA, or even some study on commuter rail. This of course is really depressing. I believe I’m going to stop reading this thread.

[RocketSurgeon]

I don't even find it depressing anymore. I long ago gave up any hope of MARTA expanding. Rideshare is good enough for me. Life goes on

Julian, you forgot Zoox in your count. I've been seeing those test vehicles around too. We'll have at least 3 autonomous services.

[38 Geary]

Originally Posted by AtlantaMustang

You know the transit outlook for Atlanta is bleak when even us nerds on a development forum are talking about Waymo and Lyft all the time.

Originally Posted by montydawg

I really hate the fact that we are discussing cars in the transit forum.

Every time I see a new post in the MARTA forum, I’m eagerly hopeful that there is some positive announcement about rail expansion or funding for MARTA, or even some study on commuter rail. This of course is really depressing. I believe I’m going to stop reading this thread.

Agreed.

[Julien]

Originally Posted by RocketSurgeon

I don't even find it depressing anymore. I long ago gave up any hope of MARTA expanding. Rideshare is good enough for me. Life goes on

Julian, you forgot Zoox in your count. I've been seeing those test vehicles around too. We'll have at least 3 autonomous services.

I’ve already posted about Zoox (just a few posts up). However, Zoox is just HD Mapping, and they haven’t even started any point-to-point taxi service anywhere yet. So, we’re likely a couple of years away from having Zoox service.

I’d love to post something about MARTA, and in fact, I often run through Armour Yards looking for a new train set to take a pic of. But for now, I’ve been posting on micro mobility (electric scooters and bikes) and autonomous vehicles (AVs). AVs are going to be the biggest fundamental change in all transportation and deliveries in the next decade. It’s nice to see ATL being one of the major centers, just behind SF and Austin.


Also here is a Zoox HD Mapping in Atlantic Station a couple of weeks ago. I'm always on the look out for something or another.

[RATBOYKEV]

Originally Posted by Julien

May Mobility is about to start service with Lyft. This will likely make ATL the only US city with 2 AV taxi services. The May Mobilities now all have Lyft branding, so it looks like service is imminent.

https://maymobility.com/posts/may-mobili...o-scale-autonomous-deployments-globally/

May Mobility will have a smaller footprint to start, covering only greater Midtown

[edg1]

Hello. This is a rail map that GDOT should build for Atlanta and then afterwards builds the line to Savannah/etc. GDOT train would be separate from MARTA but it will be able to connect with MARTA. If they can spends billions for hundreds of miles of trains from Atlanta to Savannah/etc then they can spend the same money for Atlanta.

The stations can be basic looking stations like in Chicago with just a platform....
https://www.chicago-l.org/stations/images/thumbnails/Douglas/centralpark25t.jpg


The grey line will circle Atlanta next to 285.

You will see several "U" lines such as the neon green line in West Atlanta, the pink line on the Northside, etc. This line will be similar to the Red line in DC which Is basically a line that goes directly from the suburbs into the city. The "U" shaped lines I made would be similar.

Grey Line: This line will circle around Atlanta. On the Westside the stops will be by lots of warehouse jobs and Industrial areas. Great for people who have warehouse jobs with no car to get to work.

Neon green line: This line will connect with Six Flags, Arbor Place Mall, Powder Springs etc and you will be able to transfer to MARTA at the Holmes MARTA Station.

Yellow Line: This line is mainly for the CDC and Emory and Atlantic Station and Northside drive. I decided to make it a full circle instead of stopping on the East/West MARTA lines. On the Southside I linked it with Greenbriar Mall and Lakewood Amphitheater so when people go a concert they can hop on the train to get back home. This will only have three station at the CDC and Emory because people will complain if there are more stations in those neighborhoods but if it goes strictly to the job centers I don't think people will complain.

Light Blue Line: This line in Cobb County would be along 75 but it is a rule that we can't build trains on interstate highways with a hot lane but maybe they can get creative and do a line up Cobb Parkway or somewhere nearby. This will connect to The Battery, Town Center Mall, KSU, Woodstock Outlet, etc.

Pink Line: This line will go all the way to Cumming, Stop by North Point Mall, etc. It will connect with MARTA at North Springs or Sandy Springs Station. The line coming from Gwinnett will transfer over to the Doraville line.

Purple Line: This line would go out to Conyers with a stop at Stonecrest Mall, Panola Rd, Wesley Chapel, Stone Mountain/ Snellville, etc. The transfer station to MARTA would be at Indian Creek.

The Green/Brown line on the Southside would go out to Newnan, Jonesboro, etc and the transfer station would be at Riverdale Rd Station and they can go Eastbound and transfer to MARTA at the Airport Station.


This is what GDOT should spend money on. Then they can build the Savannah line so when people get to Atlanta from Savannah they can go anywhere in Atlanta. It will complement MARTA. This will go to all the job centers, near most of the warehouses, several mall stops and lines that go way out to the suburbs to bring people into the city. This will help with traffic and turn Atlanta to a real city with great public transportation.

What you think of this map?

[bryantm3]

The map isn't showing up on my end, just the text

[edg1]

.

[bryantm3]

I like the coverage area, a lot of the stations are good ideas... but a lot of the lines/stations don't seem to make geographical sense to me. If I had a desktop computer, and not just a phone, I'd give you a counterproposal that would get the same areas covered but routed in a way that makes more sense.

[edg1]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

I like the coverage area, a lot of the stations are good ideas... but a lot of the lines/stations don't seem to make geographical sense to me. If I had a desktop computer, and not just a phone, I'd give you a counterproposal that would get the same areas covered but routed in a way that makes more sense.

Do it later when you can. Maybe we can get this proposal to GDOT.

The only lines that don't make sense is the Southeast portion of the yellow line but I went ahead and did it anyway because they can still add stations to that line. Also on the yellow line the space before and after the CDC/Emory line. I know those people might complain about it the people that live in that area but the stations there at that job center is too available to not have any mass transit in that area. All the line OTP are needed bad

[edg1]

What do you all think of the map?

[smArTaLlone]

The second train set has arrived in Atlanta.

[montydawg]

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by edg1

Do it later when you can. Maybe we can get this proposal to GDOT.

The only lines that don't make sense is the Southeast portion of the yellow line but I went ahead and did it anyway because they can still add stations to that line. Also on the yellow line the space before and after the CDC/Emory line. I know those people might complain about it the people that live in that area but the stations there at that job center is too available to not have any mass transit in that area. All the line OTP are needed bad

I found this on Threads. It's pretty much in line with what I was thinking... but I would make a few changes...

-Remove "Upper Westside", an absurd and silly name for that neighborhood

-Reroute the northwest line that goes to Northside Drive and Piedmont Hospital to follow the alternate rail line that goes behind Ikea and Atlantic Station, and add stations there instead

-Extend the Blue Line west and south to serve Adamsville, Fairburn-Mays, Cascade, Ben Hill, Greenbriar & Camp Creek, and have that line merge with the SW lines at Union City.

-Build a new line underneath Roswell Road to serve Buckhead Village, Downtown Sandy Springs, Downtown Roswell, Downtown Alpharetta, Avalon, and Windward Parkway— because eventually they will figure out the expansion of 400 isn't going to "fix traffic"

-Add a perimeter line, just on the north side, between Adamsville, Cumberland, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, a new station *actually* in Dunwoody, Doraville, Northlake, Clarkston, and Indian Creek

-Change "Whitehall" station to a McDaniel Street station,

-Infill stations at Krog & Boone

-Roller-coaster from Oakdale Rd station to Six Flags

[SteveD]

No love for Grant Park/Ormewood Park/Glenwood Park/EAV...etc. Thriving and vibrant in-town neighborhoods...