USA: Supplier INIT has begun work on Atlanta transport agency MARTA’s Better Breeze project to replace the existing Breeze fare collection system with technology which will provide additional payment options and a ‘new and refreshed look and feel’ ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The upgrade includes more than 1 800 metro, tram and bus onboard and station readers, 275 next-generation ticket vending machines and over 500 ‘sleek and modern’ faregates equipped with INIT validators. The gates are designed to be harder to tamper with and can be monitored and adjusted remotely, reducing incidents of fare evasion, and nearly half will be equipped to meet ADA accessibility rules.
The backoffice system will manage transactions, including contactless payments, mobile ticketing and reloadable fare cards. This aims to provide a seamless passenger experience and manage revenue sharing across MARTA and its regional partners CobbLinc, Ride Gwinnett and Xpress which together carry more than 65·2 million passengers/year.
The will be new smart cards, and passengers will also be able to download a replacement Breeze app which will allow them to purchase and manage fares directly from their smartphones.
Installation of the equipment is expected to be completed system-wide early next year, enabling it to go live for passengers in April 2026.
The Breeze name is to be retained, and there will be a month-long period for passengers to transition from the current Breeze to a Better Breeze card or app. The single fare remains $2·50, as it has been for 14 years, with a discount fare of $1 for eligible users.
‘MARTA is implementing some incredible projects and initiatives next year ahead of the World Cup, including new trains, a new bus network with on demand transit zones, a new bus rapid transit line, and a new On the Go app and MARTA website’, said the transit agency’s Interim General Manager & CEO Jonathan Hunt. ‘We need to ensure our Breeze system is aligned with these once-in-a-generation improvements and ready for the future.’
