Chambers for General Manager
Today’s editorial in the AJC suggests that Jill Chambers should be considered a serious candidate for the job of MARTA’s General Manager:
Chambers claims she’s an unabashed supporter of mass transit, which might help MARTA win converts within the ranks of the state GOP, especially lawmakers who represent traffic-choked suburbs. She has also endorsed the idea of the state government providing MARTA with funding for its operations; it’s the only major transit agency in the country which gets no such assistance.
Don’t faint, but I’ll endorse it.
I’ve given Chambers plenty of flack for being undeservedly harsh on MARTA. It’s even come to the point where I’ve heard from several independent sources that — for whatever reason — she reads what I write on the Internet as though it’s worth obsessing over.
Don’t get me wrong. If I lived in her district, I’d vote for Hannibal Lecter sooner than I’d vote for anyone who goes so overboard in criticizing MARTA the way she has. But if I were a MARTA board member, I’d much sooner vote Chambers in as GM than another Nathaniel Ford.
As a legislator and chair of MARTOC, there is only so much Chambers could do to put her money (and actions) where her mouth is. She supports more transit options for the metro area? Show me the money.
Jill Chambers would be the most likely candidate to introduce a string of needed reforms to the authority and be effective at it. She can’t do that as MARTOC chair. Similar to Fiorello LaGuardia, her move from legislator to executive would spark new and radical efficiency reforms unlike any previously seen. And she would have every reason to be more customer-centered than any of her predecessors.
There are many uncertainties, as there would be with any new General Manager. Would MARTA’s Transit Oriented Development program continue? How would MARTA’s relationship with Regional Transit Partners change? How would MARTA’s relationship with the union change? Would Chambers’ good senses catch up with the futility of the 50-50 sales tax split? Could Chambers turn around and convince her Republican colleagues that spending more money on roads would be a wasteful and ineffective way to reduce traffic congestion?
I look forward to seeing what happens. Jill Chambers is exactly the type of person MARTA needs at the top in these days and times.
January 9th, 2006 at 9:39 am
Wow, and the flames of Hades cede to winter icicles.
I agree with you. We’ve talked about Jill a couple of times, and I happen to think she’s presenting herself sincerly, even if others (a couple of folks I know who live in her district) would disaqree. You don’t walk into a forum for special needs kids and rail against arts funding if you don’t mean it when talking about fiscal responsibility.
January 9th, 2006 at 10:48 am
Rep. Chambers is going to have an interesting session in which she’s going to be pulled a lot of directions.
It sounds strange, but transit everywhere could benefit from a ‘Republicans for MARTA’ group.
January 9th, 2006 at 10:38 pm
I’m a “Repub for MARTA” but only if they clean up their act - dehorn the union for example. In Gwinnett we pay our drivers $13, vs. MARTA’s $22+.
January 10th, 2006 at 11:17 am
“I’m a “Repub for MARTA” but only if they clean up their act - dehorn the union for example. In Gwinnett we pay our drivers $13, vs. MARTA’s $22+.”
So,if the higher cost of living in Atlanta is taken into considertion,drivers are then,under this line of reasoning,being asked to reduce their standard of living(?)
You republicans are so compassionate,especially if lower income people are involved.
January 10th, 2006 at 10:46 pm
It’s not like Gwinnett is the promised land of $80,000 McMansions. Also, MARTA drivers could live in Gwinnett and commute to work, thus capturing the theoretical Gwinnett cost of living benefit.
MARTA does need some reform, but not the kinds Ms. Chambers has spoken out about. They are addressing the number one issue I had, the crappy fare gates. The first thing I learned as a rider was how to beat the turnstile inconspicuously when my MARTA card didn’t read correctly. Also, more information on train delays would be very helpful. Nothing is worse than standing on the platform wondering if a train will arrive this century.
January 10th, 2006 at 11:41 pm
MARTA needs some serious work in areas of where they are spending their money. It is one of the most inept and unaccountable public transportation systems I have ever experienced.
What did MARTA think it was wise to invest 80M into the Linbergh TOD but only expecting to recieve a return of around 1M a year. I’m not neccesarily saying the Linbergh idea was bad but it is not for MARTA to spend 80M.
Second, why did MARTA spend 280M on that Armour Yard facilty only to save an estimated 64M over 50 years?
On a more personal note, why in the hell does one have to budget an hour to get from Candler Park to the Airport on a weekend?
If there is to be any hope a regional system MARTA needs to be abolished and something new created. This absurd balkanization of our transit systems needs to end.
January 11th, 2006 at 7:02 am
This one I can answer. As you’re probably aware, the legislature, in its infinite wisdom, decided that MARTA’s sales tax revenue should be split so that half goes toward operations, and half goes toward capital. That artificially creates two budgets for MARTA: capital and operations.
In this particular case, the spending was on the capital side, but the saving was on the operations side. Where efficiencies like that can be found in operations, it (theoretically) allows for more trains and busses to run.