In partnership with the King Center, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) unveiled a special bus honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King.
Public transit has long played a role in the fight for equal rights. The arrest of Rosa Parks in 1955 sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott that would bring Dr. King to national prominence. Dr. King would go on to call urban public transportation “a genuine civil rights issue” because of its critically important role in connecting its riders to opportunities for employment.
The bus will begin service on Route 3: MLK/Auburn Ave. and move to different routes over the next four months. This is the first of several special bus designs planned as MARTA launches a yearlong celebration of Atlanta Civil Rights leaders.
“Transit is a place where all are welcome, and like the Civil Rights movement, where inclusion and equality serve as the foundation for opportunity,” said MARTA General Manager and CEO Collie Greenwood. “MARTA is proud to have played a role in the rich history of the City of Atlanta and the Civil Rights movement and recognize the impact of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King, and the road they traveled as they changed the world.”
As MARTA undergoes a major rehabilitation and expansion program, equity and accessibility are at the forefront of every decision to ensure bus and rail service, transit-oriented development, and customer amenities best reflect and serve our diverse region.
Additionally, MARTA officially unveiled the Dr. King and Coretta Scott King bus at a press conference held at the King Center on Tuesday, Jan. 4.
On Jan. 9, a reception will be held at the Center to officially kick off a month of MLK holiday events and activities. For more information, visit King Holiday 2024 – The King Center.
As it has done in years past, MARTA will stage its 1955 historical bus directly across from the King Birth Home located at 501 Auburn Ave. on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Monday, Jan. 15.
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