MARTA's new General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beverly Scott has joined the Authority after being selected by the MARTA Board of Directors. Dr. Scott has over 30 years of experience in the transit industry and has held leadership positions at some of the nation's largest transit agencies.

Dr. Scott most recently served as General Manager of the Sacramento Regional Transit District and prior to that held the same position at the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, one of only four statewide public transit systems in the United States. Dr. Scott has also held high-level executive positions with transit agencies in New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

"My number one goal is to ensure that MARTA is a premier transit system — one that provides safe, reliable, clean and courteous service to our customers," said MARTA General Manager Dr. Beverly Scott. "Over the next few months, I'm going to take time to learn about the system and listen to our customers to determine what we can do to provide the best possible transit experience."

"I believe strongly that what makes an organization great is its people, and MARTA has an extremely knowledgeable, caring and enthusiastic staff," stated Dr. Scott. "I'm excited to be a part of a team that is committed to excellence, hard work and providing a quality product to our customers."

Whether you're staying in Atlanta or heading out of town, MARTA makes reaching your destination during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend easy with convenient service to the airport and great events throughout the city including the Macy's Tree Lighting at Lenox Square, the Atlanta Marathon and Half-Marathon, and the Falcons, Thrashers and Georgia Tech games.

Parking for less than 24 hours is free at all MARTA parking facilities, and long term parking is available for $4 to $7 at nine rail station locations.

Customers are encouraged to purchase a round trip fare at the start of their trip to avoid long lines on the return. Extra staff will be on hand to assist customers throughout the weekend.

For more information, please contact MARTA customer service at 404/848-5000 or visit www.itsmarta.com.

Weekend schedule changes:

MARTA will operate using a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22, 2007. North/South trains will run every 20 minutes and East/West trains every 15 minutes. Additional service will be provided in the evening to accommodate the Macy's Tree Lighting and Falcons game.

On Friday, rail will run on a regular Saturday schedule and bus will use a modified Saturday schedule with all bus routes using Saturday service schedules except for the following, which will operate on a regular weekday schedule:
41 - Windsor Parkway / Lake Hearn 44 - West Wesley
47 - 1-85 Access/Woodcock
78 - Cleveland Avenue
87 - Roswell Road
98 - West End/Art Center
132 - Tilly Mill
140 - Mansell Road Park/Ride

With the addition of Flexcars at Inman Park, Candler Park and East Lake rail stations, cars are now available at six MARTA stations, and for a limited time customers will get $10 in credit for joining. Visit www.flexcar.com/MARTA to signup for a membership by December 31st to take advantage of this great offer.

MARTA teamed up with Flexcar last year to make it easy for customers to leave their cars behind and take transit. Flexcar gives customers the convenient option to use a car if needed for errands, appointments or to reach a final destination. Cars are now available at the Lindbergh Center, Arts Center, Midtown, Inman Park, Candler Park and East Lake rail stations and within a short walking distance of North Avenue, Civic Center, Peachtree Center, Five Points, Garnett and Decatur rail stations.

Reservations can be made by calling Flexcar or visiting www.flexcar.com. The hourly rental rate covers gas, insurance, maintenance, 24/7 emergency assistance and reserved parking at various lots and decks throughout the city. Customers are issued an access card to unlock and lock the car. Flexcar currently has 100 vehicles available at locations throughout Downtown and Midtown including Emory University and Georgia Tech.

For more information about using MARTA, contact customer service at 404/848-5000 or visit www.itsmarta.com. To become a Flexcar member, find vehicle locations, make a reservation and take advantage of special offers, visit www.flexcar.com or call (404) 817-3599.

MARTA customers will soon enjoy a significant number of service improvements throughout the system as routes and schedules are adjusted to ensure better schedule adherence and on-time performance. Feedback received from customers in these areas was used along with service analysis to make changes that meet customers' needs. Major changes are being made to bus service in South Atlanta, Central Atlanta and Sandy Springs. These changes will go into effect on Saturday, December 8, 2007, and a complete list of changes is available at www.itsmarta.com or by calling 404/848-5000,