District elections prove regional transit network ‘The ATL’ is moving forward

As a regional transit network, The ATL is becoming a realty.

After the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation in March to bring metro Atlanta’s transit systems under a single umbrella—known as the Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority, or The ATL—the first three of 10 elections to determine the ATL board were recently held.

Appointments thus far illustrate the eclectic bunch of officials who must work together to make The ATL successful.

On October 23, State Rep. Howard Mosby was elected to a two-year term for Transit District 9, which includes parts of Clayton, DeKalb, and Henry counties.

Currently, MARTA and Xpress provide transit services in this district.

The following day, Steve Dickerson, a former professor of mechanical engineering at Georgia Tech, was elected to a two-year term for Transit District 3, which includes parts of Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties.

Current transit operators in this district are CobbLinc, MARTA, and Xpress.

The Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority

Then, on Tuesday, Todd Ver Steeg, vice president and owner of Vermeer Southeast, was elected to a two-year term for Transit District 4, which includes parts of Cobb and all of Paulding County.

Currently, CobbLinc, MARTA, and Xpress provide transit services in that district.

All three men join Board Chairman Charlie Sutlive, Teddy Russell, Mark Toro of North American Properties, Chairwoman Charlotte J. Nash, and Rep. Earl Ehrhart on the ATL board.

Upcoming elections include District 1 (November 16), District 2 (November 14), District 6 (November 13), and Districts 8 and 10 (both on November 15).

The remaining elections must be completed by December 1.

For those keeping score at home, the remaining districts break down as follows:

• District 1: all of Cherokee County and parts of Forsyth and Fulton counties
• District 2: parts of Forsyth, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties
• District 5: parts of DeKalb and Fulton counties
• District 6: part of Gwinnett County
• District 7: parts of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties and all of Rockdale County
• District 8: parts of Cobb and Fulton counties and all of Douglas County
• District 10: parts of Clayton, Fulton, and Henry counties and all of Coweta and Fayette counties

Projected to be fully in place by March 2023, the ATL is expected to improve mobility across county lines and other jurisdictions, which could boost the region’s economic viability.