Atlanta’s streetcar won’t be free again after all. MARTA’s board voted Friday to continue charging $1 per ride.
The board had considered dropping the fare when it takes control of the service from the city on July 1, but Chairman Robbie Ashe said it ultimately decided against the change.
“One concern that was raised is if the streetcar is free, then folks who decide to get on and ride for four or five hours at a time, there’s no way to ask them to leave,” he said.
The streetcar, which the city currently operates, was free for its first year starting in 2015. When the city imposed a fare, however, its ridership dropped by half.
Ashe said the agency is still concerned about ridership and it is looking at other means to attract more people to the streetcar.
