In Georgia, it is unlawful for a driver to operate a vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol. Some of the most common ones are: Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol Like most motor vehicle crashes, several factors cause traffic collisions involving MARTA buses. What Are the Causes of a MARTA Bus Accident? If you suffer injuries from an accident of this type, contact us for expert legal advice and representation. In this article, our Atlanta MARTA accident lawyers provide answers on who you can sue following a MARTA bus accident. In such an instance, it is crucial to know the proper party to sue. However, there are instances where the driver might not be the only liable party in a crash. Thus, when an accident occurs from their negligence, a victim can hold the driver responsible for their injuries. So, MARTA bus drivers and officers are responsible for the safety of their passengers.Īlso, like every other vehicle and road user, MARTA drivers owe a duty of care to everyone on the road. MARTA buses convey thousands of people to different locations within and outside Atlanta daily. MARTA stands for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, and it provides cost-effective, convenient public transportation. This article appears in our January 2023 issue.MARTA bus accidents are not uncommon. “When I came down here, I found out why: They’re driving into the neighborhoods, making these tight turns-they’re already in the rodeo!” “We used to wonder why MARTA was always getting the safety awards, always winning the rodeos,” he said. Even he was amazed by Atlanta’s nimble operators. Rick James, who runs recertification for the program, had a long career driving buses in New York City before joining MARTA. Atlanta even has a distinguished record at the national bus rodeo, a competition that is precisely what you think it is. MARTA’s Bus Communications Center has a tracker on each bus and can help the driver find a different way the bus, of course, still has to arrive, on time, at every stop on the route.ĭespite those challenges-or perhaps because of them-MARTA operators are known in the transportation industry for their safety and skill. Operators know to look for the yellow signs with black text that signal filming in the area and may require a reroute. Harris encourages novice drivers to ride the route with a more experienced operator before their shift: “You can drive it in a car,” he said, “but you won’t know the inconsistencies of that route, like a tree in front of a sign, or no sign at all.” Another occasional roadblock: film sets, which disrupt traffic flows and turn whole blocks into unrecognizable foreign landscapes. Instead, operators use turn-by-turns, special maps that show them their route. You also have to know where to go: MARTA plans to install GPS systems but hasn’t yet. Tight turns aren’t Atlanta traffic’s only headache, of course. At MARTA, touching a curb with a tire must be reported as an accident afterward, drivers are sent to retraining, where they’ll review the incident and practice their maneuvers. On a demonstration drive around Decatur, Harris pointed to a curb blackened with tire marks, the victim of poorly executed L-turns. The vehicles are designed to help: The wheel axles are set deep under the bus, leaving considerable space at the front and back, and the carriage is built high enough to pass over curbs when a corner is tight. “But if you do the same process every time, you’ll be able make it.” “Every street you go on is different,” he said. To execute it, Harris explained, you line up your shoulder with the spot where you want the bus to end up. One crucial tool in the driver’s toolbox: the L-turn, in which the operator turns the bus at an exact 90-degree angle. Harris, who previously trained bus drivers in Dallas, credits experienced MARTA operators with helping him demystify Atlanta’s roadways, which range from dizzyingly wide megalanes to perilously tight one-way corridors-often along the same route. “We’re going to build up some trust first.” “I’m not going to put you in a million-dollar bus on your first day,” Harris said, pointing to a gleaming New Flyer Excelsior, a fully electric model MARTA introduced in 2022. After classroom instruction, trainees start driving by dodging cones in the parking lot behind the training center-usually in an old Gillig bus retired from the fleet. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a clean driving record, and pass a fitness test. MARTA’s program-which covers everything from engine mechanics to passenger de-escalation-takes 12 weeks for drivers who enter with a regular driver’s license, or eight for those with a commercial license.
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