Xpress Fare-Free Introductory Period for New Hickory Grove Park & Ride Lot Routes Extended Until October 31, 2021
Office of Communications & Engagement
245 Peachtree Center Avenue, Suite 2200 • Atlanta, GA 30303
Ericka B. Davis
Chief Communications Officer
o: 404-893-3033 | c: 404-226-9339 | [email protected]
Tiffany L. McCall
Communications and Media Relations Director
o: 404-893-3025 | c: 404-240-7531 | [email protected]
For Immediate Release: August 18, 2021
Xpress Fare-Free Introductory Period for New Hickory Grove Park & Ride Lot Routes Extended Until October 31, 2021
Promotion For Xpress Routes 484 and 485 Customers Only
ATLANTA — Xpress commuter transit service will be extending its fare-free introductory period for Xpress Routes 484 and 485 at its new Hickory Grove Park & Ride Lot located at 2018 Hickory Grove Road NW, Acworth, GA 30102. The new lot and routes services Bartow, Cherokee and Cobb Counties. The fare-free introductory period began May 3, 2021 and will continue until October 31, 2021.
“We are working diligently to increase ridership for our Xpress transit system, especially with the recent launch of our new routes at the Hickory Grove Park and Ride,” said Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority Executive Director Chris Tomlinson. “By extending the fare-free introductory period, we hope that it encourages more community members in Bartow, Cherokee and Cobb to utilize Xpress as their mobility option, thereby reducing reliance on personal cars and traffic congestion in the region”.
The fare-free promotion opens access to more passengers and attracts and engages new riders who might not otherwise choose public transit as a means of mobility. The agency hopes that the promotion will also result in long term ridership increases.
In addition, Xpress has instituted several protective measures to provide riders with a safe commute including using air ionization technology on their coaches which reduces the risk of pathogen, allergen, and viral transmissions including COVID-19. Xpress also adheres to the federal requirement of masks on all public transit,
Xpress operates 27 routes in 12 metro Atlanta counties that in 2019 carried more than 1.8 million passenger trips to and from major employment centers in Downtown, Midtown, and Perimeter Center. Xpress riders are also able to take advantage of riding in the Express Lanes for free.
About the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority
The ATL was created by the Georgia General Assembly during the 2018 legislative session to provide coordinated transit planning and funding for the metro Atlanta region. The ATL is responsible for developing the ATL Regional Transit Plan, as well as identifying and prioritizing the projects and initiatives required to develop region-wide transit. The ATL is also charged with creating a unified regional transit system brand. Effective July 1, 2020, the ATL was legislatively authorized to oversee the state’s Xpress regional commuter transit system and the Atlanta region’s vanpool system. The population of metro Atlanta is growing rapidly and projected to add an additional 2.5 million residents by 2040. The ATL is a critical step towards more efficient and effective transit and mobility in the region. For more information on Xpress and the ATL, visit https://atltransit.wpengine.com/ and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
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