Local

Passengers: MARTA response to woman struck 'chaotic'

ATLANTA — Some MARTA passengers were furious after they said bus drivers gave them the run around after service was shut down to deal with a woman hit by a train.

Monday afternoon, MARTA officials said a woman got into a restricted area near the Georgia State Transit Station in downtown Atlanta and was hit by a train.

A MARTA representative said the woman is in serious condition.

An investigation is underway to determine how she got into the area.

As a result of the incident, MARTA had to shut down east and westbound rail lines at the Georgia State University transit station.

Passengers who were on the train that hit the woman, also had to sit and wait while police wrapped up their investigation.

It all made for some upset and uncomfortable passengers.

"It was just chaotic," passenger Freddie Clark told Channel 2's Tom Jones.

Passengers who arrived at the transit station had no idea it was shut down.

http://bcove.me/tp85wtil


MARTA brought in buses to shuttle riders to operational transit stations. But passengers said the bus drivers kept taking them in circles.

"I don't care who listening to me I'm very upset," Janet Binion said. "Because one minute they telling us to go on one side. Now they're telling us to go on the other side."

Medics had to treat some passengers who were on the stranded train.

"We're trying to get those passengers offloaded as quickly as possible but again we gotta make sure that we do it safely," MARTA spokesman Lyle Harris said.

Harris also said agents were brought out to instruct passengers on where they needed to go.

He said the agency was dealing with an injured woman, the safety of passengers on the train and getting buses out to get passengers where they needed to go.

"It was a very fluid situation," Harris said.