Just two months ago, the Metropolitan Atlanta Transportation Equity Coalition (MATEC) presented a strong case for MARTA to dismantle its "glass ceiling" hiring policy for African Americans. They pointed out that over the past three decades, all five of MARTA’s general managers have been white males. African Americans make up 78 percent of MARTA’s staff.

It is ironic that the same day the MARTA board selected its first African-American general manager, MATEC, a coalition of 11 Black Atlanta organizations, filed an administrative complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation on behalf of their minority and disabled members.

"I am pleased the MARTA board selected Mr. Ford as the new general manager. It looks like one of the first substantive issues he will have to address is the MATEC discrimination complaint," said Robert D. Bullard, who directs the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University. Bullard and his colleagues at the center have provided research and technical assistance to the MATEC groups over the past two years.

The MATEC organizations charged MARTA with racial discrimination. They also cite MARTA for failing to comply with the federally mandated Americans with Disability Act (ADA). The complainants include a broad array of groups, including the NAACP and Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, neighborhood organizations, a disabled persons advocacy group, an environmental organization, a youth group, and the union that represents MARTA drivers, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 732.

The coalition alleges that MARTA’s service delivery to minority communities is not up to par with the services provided to white communities. They point out that a disproportionate number of the MARTA’s overcrowded bus lines are located in minority communities, and minority communities do not receive a proportionate share of clean compressed natural gas (CNG) buses and bus shelters. They also contend that MARTA rail stations located in minority neighborhoods are poorly maintained and fewer amenities are provided in comparison to those located in white communities.

The coalition insists that MARTA’s decision to raise its fares will have a negative, disproportionate, and discriminatory effect on the system’s largely minority (over 75 percent of MARTA’s riders are African American), transit-dependent riders and will cause them irreparable harm.

On June 19 the MARTA board approved a $307 million operating budget that raised its one-way cash fare from $1.50 to $1.75 – a 16.7 percent increase. The fare hike is scheduled for Jan. 1.

For over nine months, the coalition has pleaded with the MARTA board not to raise its fares at a time when it ridership is showing an upward trend. Ridership increased more than 5 percent over last year. The groups cite MARTA’s failure to arrive at real budget alternatives to the fare hike, such as considering charging for parking, raising the parking fee at its overnight lots, increasing advertising, and seeking funds from the state.

Just last month, the Georgia DOT offered $2 million to assist in averting a fare hike. MARTA is the only major regional transit agency in the country that does not receive state funds.