When asked about declining ridership on Cobb County’s bus system — a 73% drop in annual trips from 2013-2022 — local transit activist Matt Stigall was hesitant to trust the data.
When he rides the bus, he said, the fareboxes used to record riders (and of course, collect revenue), are frequently broken.
“The data itself is just something that … we can’t really rely on much,” Stigall said.
Another transit rider, local minister Jeff Jones, called the fareboxes “a mess,” saying they often don’t work.
It’s not just passengers that hold that view.
Four CobbLinc drivers who spoke to the MDJ said the fareboxes are a constant issue. They were granted anonymity to speak freely, expressing fear for their jobs.
Cobb Department of Transportation Director Drew Raessler told the MDJ he’s aware of the issue and plans to go before the Board of Commissioners and ask them to replace the fareboxes this spring, at a cost of $1.3 million.
On Nov. 5, 2024, Cobb County will vote on approving a 30-year, 1% sales tax to fund public transit projects. Cobb’s sales tax would increase from 6% to 7%.