As the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority [MARTA] tightens and adapts its safety policies across the network, student riders are paying close attention to whether the changes can be seen in their daily commutes. 

Students rely on MARTA as their main form of transportation, including Woodward Academy students who ride MARTA to and from school everyday, and several said they have noticed a consistent police presence during their trips. 

“I’d say I feel about eight out of ten safe when riding MARTA,” Woodward freshman Chelsea Kallen said. “We all ride together either in the mornings or afternoons, and I see MARTA police pretty much every day.”

Other students said their comfort levels when riding MARTA have grown over time. Henry Jarrell, an eighth grader at Woodward who has been riding MARTA for more than three years, said he has become more familiar with the system, but has experienced some alarming moments that stood out to him. 

“One time I found a 9mm round on the platform at College Park,” Jarrell said. “Another time, we were told to get off the train at East Point, and later we found out someone had been pushed onto the tracks and killed. That was definitely a time where I did not feel safe.”

According to a report from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the man was identified as a 61 year old named Calvin Chatman and he was hit and killed after falling onto northbound tracks. Jarrell said he regularly sees MARTA officers during his commutes, especially in the afternoons when many Woodward students travel together.

“Because I’m a student and ride on the Woodward car, I see MARTA police staff all the time,” Jarrell said. “There are usually two or more on each car.” 

Major Clesha Britt, East Precinct Commander with the MARTA Police Department, feels that the upgrades MARTA is putting in place are designed to increase visibility, monitoring and controlled access across all stations and trains. 

“These measures create a safer, more supervised environment that help riders feel more secure during daily travel,” Britt said. 

College age riders have also been watching and noticing the changes. Jack Borse, a former Midtown student and current student at Georgia State University who grew up riding MARTA, said he uses the system almost every day, and heavily relied on it when he was in high school and did not have a license. 

“I’ve been riding MARTA since I was a kid, and even now I use it pretty frequently,” Borse said. “I’d rate how safe I feel around seven or eight, which if you would have asked me a couple years ago, my answer would’ve definitely been much lower.”

According to Borse, there has been a major increase in officer visibility at major stations, and communications during the delays also affects how safe riders feel. 

“I’ve definitely seen more officers at stations like Five Points,” Borse said. “Even just knowing what’s going on during delays makes people feel safer.”

MARTA has also added new fare gates, expanded camera monitoring and increased police patrols. According to Britt, these measures are intended to reduce unauthorized access and help officers respond more quickly to incidents involving riders, especially students.

“Marta has been rolling out a multi-facet safety strategy aimed at both deterring crime and improving the overall sense of security for riders,” Britt said. “A key part of this has been modernizing the fare infrastructure with a new, contactless generation of fare gates and equipment.”

MARTA is also relying on expanded camera monitoring to improve response times during incidents that may affect student riders. The Real-Time Crime Center allows officers to track activity across stations, platforms and trains in real-time. 

“This center monitors thousands of CCTV cameras system-wide,” Britt said. “It gives police the ability to see what’s happening in real time and direct responses more quickly and proactively.”

For Midtown students who rely on MARTA for transportation, the recent safety changes have also been noticed. Sophomore Sadie Stevens, who frequently rides the train to Atlanta United matches at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, said she has seen more officers at stations and on platforms during evening and weekend travel. She said the increased visibility has made her feel more comfortable riding MARTA on crowded game days and during late-night trips home. 

“Towards the end of the Atlanta United season, I noticed a lot more officers around the stations,” Stevens said. “It just makes the whole trip feel a lot more organized and safer. Seeing more officers around makes it easier to relax and not worry about what’s going on around me.”

Midtown senior Grady Richman, who rode MARTA to the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in January, said he also noticed a significant security presence during the event. 

“I rode MARTA to the Peach Bowl and there were officers at pretty much every station and platform,” Richman said. “Seeing that many security staff around made the chaos of that big event feel a lot safer.”

As MARTA continues implementing these upgrades, many student riders say the changes are becoming more noticeable during their daily commutes. Increased officer visibility, clearer communication during delays, and expanded monitoring have contributed to a growing sense of security and safety among younger riders who rely on the system to get to school, work, and activities across the city. For students at Midtown and other Atlanta schools who use MARTA regularly, these improvements have helped make routine travel feel more comfortable. 

“I think students mainly just want to see officers and know what’s going on,” Jarrell said. “When you see that, you feel a lot safer riding MARTA.”