In an effort to bolster safety and efficiency, MARTA has installed a new "fare evasion" button on its buses, providing drivers a means to discreetly report fare evasion incidents. Following a letter to bus drivers, MARTA officials outlined that pressing the button alerts the MARTA Police Department to a non-paying passenger. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the directive is clear: "when a fare evader boards a bus - either by walking past the firebox without attempting to pay or by depositing only a partial fare - you should not call the passenger back to the firebox or verbally state the fare policy." Instead, drivers are instructed to press the Fare Evasion (FE) button and continue the route without delay.
This initiative comes in the wake of a tragic event where a MARTA bus driver was fatally shot over a fare dispute. The new fare evasion system allows bus operators to remain 'informers not enforcers,' a MARTA spokesperson explained in a statement obtained by Atlanta News First. It's a response designed to prevent such disputes from escalating and to ensure the wellbeing of both drivers and passengers.
When the evasion button is pressed, it triggers a process wherein MARTA police can locate the bus and route, review video footage, and respond accordingly. This system is seen by the agency as aiming to provide safer rides by removing the onus of fare enforcement from the drivers, possibly averting confrontations.
The need for such a system becomes clear in the light of January's fatal shooting of 47-year-old bus driver Leroy Ramos. As reported by FOX 5 Atlanta, the incident began when three juveniles engaged in an argument with Ramos over bus fare, which led to a deadly altercation off the bus. The aftermath has highlighted longstanding safety concerns among drivers, with Britt Dunams, president of the local Amalgamated Transit Union, expressing that drivers frequently feel unsafe. This new measure is seen as a step towards assuaging those fears and enhancing overall security on MARTA's transit system.
