Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)

What this grade measures

The quality of the schedule data this agency publishes for trip-planning apps: whether riders using Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Transit see current, correct, and complete information. It measures the data feed, not service quality or operations.

Progress this period

No newly cleared items this period. The score and trend above reflect where the feed stands today.

What needs attention next

Three improvements, in priority order, each sized so the board can see what it is approving:

1. Check the service alerts endpoint with your AVL vendor; it should return a fresh GTFS-Realtime protobuf on every request.

   The service alerts realtime feed failed during sampling. When this feed is down, riders see scheduled times presented as if they were live.

   Estimated effort: Usually a vendor support ticket.

   Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 5 observed fixes).

2. Check with your AVL vendor that every vehicle assignment flows into TripUpdates, including school-day and tripper runs.

   126 of 240 trips scheduled during the sampling window had no live predictions. Riders on those trips get schedule data dressed up as realtime. Caltrans expects every operating trip in TripUpdates.

   Estimated effort: A vendor data-mapping question.

   Agencies here usually clear this within about 1 week (based on 84 observed fixes).

3. Add fare_attributes.txt (or Fares v2 files) with your fare structure. If your service is fare-free, ask to have it marked fare-free instead.

   The feed contains no fare information. Riders see 'fare unknown' in trip planners and can't budget their trip; visitors are most affected.

   Estimated effort: A small file for most flat-fare systems.

Where this agency stands

Ahead of 49% of all tracked agencies, and ahead of 59% of large agencies nationwide.