MARTA touts crime reductions, safety investments in response to federal transit worker assault audit

MARTA says crime is down, safety spending is up and new enforcement measures are on the way as the transit agency responds to a federal audit examining assaults against transit workers.

In a letter sent Wednesday to the Federal Transit Administration, MARTA outlined its safety initiatives, police staffing levels and upcoming investments as part of a nationwide federal review focused on protecting transit workers and passengers.

The audit comes after the FTA requested information from transit agencies across the country regarding assaults on frontline transit employees and efforts to improve system safety.

“MARTA remains committed to providing a safe and secure environment for transit workers, customers, contractors, and the communities we serve,” Interim General Manager and CEO Jonathan Hunt wrote in the response.

According to the letter, MARTA reported a 45% reduction in Part 1 crimes since 2020. The agency said aggravated assaults fell 27%, robberies dropped 35% and overall crime declined 25% in 2025 compared to the previous year. MARTA also reported an additional 8% reduction in overall crime so far in 2026 despite what officials described as a spike in incidents during late May and early June.

The agency credited those reductions to increased policing, surveillance technology and targeted enforcement efforts.

MARTA told federal officials it now employs 268 sworn police officers, up from 230 in 2025, and plans to continue hiring. The agency also operates a Real Time Crime Center that monitors more than 12,000 cameras across trains, buses and stations.

The response also highlighted several ongoing projects aimed at improving security, including the rollout of MARTA’s new CQ400 railcars, which feature open gangways, expanded camera coverage, emergency call buttons and real-time monitoring capabilities. The agency is also replacing its Breeze fare collection system with upgraded fare gates designed to reduce fare evasion and improve station security.

Fare evasion emerged as a major focus of the letter.

MARTA cited a 2023 study that found fare evasion on the rail system had increased from 2.2% in 2017 to 17.8%, largely due to aging fare gates. The agency said police are aggressively targeting fare evasion and vandalism and plan to launch a new enforcement initiative known as “Pay Your Fare Share” later this summer. The program will include handheld devices allowing officers to verify fare payment onboard trains and buses.

The agency also highlighted its MARTA HOPE program, which partners with Hope Atlanta to connect unhoused individuals with shelter, housing and social services. Since launching in 2020, MARTA said the program has served nearly 5,900 people and helped more than 1,600 individuals access shelter.

MARTA’s letter underscores the scale of the agency’s planned safety investments. Officials said the transit system’s FY26 safety and security operating budget and capital expenditures total approximately $113.8 million, with that figure expected to rise to $147.2 million in FY27. The agency also noted that its new fare collection system carries a total projected cost of more than $336 million.

The Federal Transit Administration has not yet released findings from its audit. MARTA officials said they welcome the review and hope it demonstrates the agency’s efforts to improve safety for riders and employees across the transit system.