FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2020
MARTA RIDERS’ ADVISORY COUNCIL ON TRACK
ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has launched its first-ever Riders’ Advisory Council (RAC), an all-volunteer group providing feedback on improving the overall transit experience for customers.
Creation of the 24-member council fulfills a pledge from MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker to make the agency more customer-focused. RAC members will serve two-year terms.
“Getting input directly from the people who ride MARTA has always been key for me and our leadership team,” Parker said. “I ride the system and I always look for opportunities to interact with our customers one-on-one. The RAC will allow us to gather ideas and opinions with a more systematic and robust approach.”
MARTA’s Chief Customer Experience Officer, Rhonda N. Allen, manages the RAC in a role Parker also created as part of his broader commitment to transform the agency’s business practices.
RAC members meet monthly and are learning about the inner workings of the transit system while offering their viewpoints on potential customer impacts of projects such as realignment of MARTA’s bus network, station enhancements, design of new railcars, customer communications and the rollout of digital signage.
The RAC is composed of representatives from MARTA’s service area –the City of Atlanta, DeKalb, Fulton and Clayton counties – as well as at-large members. MARTA employees, contractors, and elected officials are ineligible.
RAC applicants expressed their keen interest in promoting transit and finalists were selected based on criteria including ridership habits, commuting experiences, and community involvement. The RAC’s composition intentionally reflects the demographic diversity of the region’s fast-growing population.
For more information about the RAC, contact Rhonda Allen at 404 848-4438.
The inaugural MARTA Riders’ Advisory Council Members are:
- Hasan Al-Bari
- Susan Brazeal
- Dianne Bryant
- Carla Cooper
- Maya Cross
- Lloyd Dotson
- Diandra Evans
- Bridgette Gist
- Millicent Goodwin
- Brenda Harrison
- Daniel Harrold
- Wendy Heaps
- Shekita James
- Akia Lewis
- Khari Lewis
- Talia Lockridge
- Lecia Miller
- Michael Moore
- Joshua Propp
- Brendan Ullman
- Laura Viilo
- Jessica Wang
- Carol White
- Carden Wyckoff
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