ATLANTA — MARTA’s rail operations are safe – for now, at least.
Last month, operating and capital budgets for FY ’05 were passed, and although no reductions to rail service were included, 300 employees were cut. Of those, 244 were bus operators and 56 were bus maintenance employees.
“Although we’ve been able to maintain operating costs in the past with cost containment measures, this is just a small precursor of what’s to come,” MARTA assistant general manager of legal Mike Sloan said. “If no additional sources of revenue are identified for MARTA operations, more budget reductions may be needed in the future.”
Officials on June 7 met with the 300 employees at Laredo, Hamilton and Perry bus garages and distributed outplacement service packages, MARTA said. The packages contained information about their rights and services provided by the Georgia Department of Labor.
“These are the first steps we are taking to ease the impact to these individuals,” Sloan said.
The MARTA board voted May 24 to approve the budgets, which included cuts to bus service. Those cuts, officials contend, will reduce overall operations costs by 15 percent.
The new bus service will be effective on Saturday, June 26, 2004.
— Todd DeFeo
