MARTA adding nearly 200 electric and natural gas-powered buses

Committees of the MARTA Board of Directors have advanced several of their projects in the City of Atlanta and DeKalb County, awarding a company $226 million for fixed-route and MARTA Rapid buses.

The five-year contract with New Flyer includes 198 buses: 63 of them battery electric, and 135 of them powered by compressed natural gas.

The first six MARTA Rapid 60′ articulated battery electric buses will be used on the region’s first bus rapid transit line in Summerhill when it opens in 2025.

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Twelve other electric buses will be used on Rapid lines on Campbellton Road and Clayton Southlake.

The contract also includes an option to purchase fuel-cell-powered buses in the future as regional leaders explore using hydrogen.

Committees also advanced projects like the Buford Highway arterial rapid transit along MARTA’s highest ridership route, Route 39.

The project includes traffic signal priority and shelters that include seating and real-time service information on the 10-mile route on Buford Highway that connects Lindbergh Center Station to Doraville Station.

That project is expected to begin operating in 2026.

The full MARTA board will vote on these items and more at its next monthly meeting on Aug. 10 at 1:30 p.m.

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