ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council discussed an ordinance that would charge extra fees to non-MARTA or specially permitted buses entering and operating in the city, including school buses among others.
According to the ordinance, the City of Atlanta recognizes the growing need for transportation and managing traffic, air quality and public safety within the city limits.
As a result, they are considering creating what they call an intermunicipal bus fee equal to 1% of bus fare as “an equitable way to ensure that all who use Atlanta’s roads contribute to the maintenance, repair and improvement of public roads, streets and transportation infrastructure.”
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Should the city council pass this measure, any non-MARTA operated buses entering and operating in Atlanta that come from or are operated by other municipalities would be subject to the 1% added charge.
The ordinance says this buses in question would include non-MARTA buses traveling on roads and highways within the city’s boundaries.
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While not listed as specific examples, there are other municipal public transports operated by local municipalities near Atlanta, such as CobbLinc and Ride Gwinnett.
The ordinance also says private charter buses, tour buses, school buses and other regional or intercity buses would be subject to the fee.
However, there are exceptions, including:
- Government or Emergency Vehicles: Any buses operated by local, state, or federal government entities, or vehicles used for emergency or public safety purposes.
- Charter Buses with Special Permits: Any charter buses that are pre-approved under a special permit issued by the City of Atlanta for specific events or purposes.
- School Buses: Buses operated by public or private educational institutions for the transport of students, provided that such buses are only used for student transportation purposes.
- Small Capacity Vehicles: Any non-MARTA bus with a seating capacity of [e.g., less than 10 passengers].
The ordinance says any non-MARTA bus that enters the city or operates in its boundaries would be subject to the fare fee or face a potential citation issued by the City of Atlanta.
If passed, the funds generated by the fee will be used for:
- Infrastructure Improvements: The primary allocation of fees shall go towards the maintenance, repair, and improvement of public roads, streets, and transportation infrastructure impacted by the operations of non-MARTA buses within the City.
- Environmental Programs: A portion of the fees may also be allocated for environmental programs, including air quality monitoring, green transportation initiatives, and programs to reduce the environmental impact of non-MARTA bus operations.
- Public Safety and Traffic Management: A portion of the fees may be used to fund public safety measures, traffic enforcement, and improvements to transportation systems within the City of Atlanta.
Enforcement and administration of the fee program would be up to the Atlanta Department of Transportation.
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