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| Subject: The MARTA board fell two votes short of the number it needed on Monday to approve a contract to fix the system. | |
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Author: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 10/7/03 ] Thales e-Transactions, filed suitDisappointed Cubic officials. |
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Date Posted: Saturday, October 11, 07:57:34am http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/1003/07marta.html;COXnetJSessionID=1IVNA1A1J9RMA12JflD9VWBx6QIw61EHUhNGRl8viniW4v2a6H60 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 10/7/03 ] MARTA repair vote falls short Contract to fix fare system is litigation target By JULIE B. HAIRSTON The Atlanta Journal-Constitution There's no relief in sight for MARTA passengers frustrated with the transit system's aging, often broken fare system. The MARTA board fell two votes short of the number it needed on Monday to approve a contract to fix the system. Board Chairman Kenneth M. Gregor said broken turnstiles and fare evasion allowed by the current system is costing MARTA almost $1 million a month. "I knew it would be close," Gregor said after the vote. Gregor, who abstained from voting initially, switched his vote to yes in a second vote taken in an effort to muster the 11 votes needed. Hanging in the balance is a $104 million contract with Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc. for the new fare system. Disappointed Cubic officials said they will continue to work with MARTA staff to get the contract approved. Gregor said the board could hold a called meeting later this month to approve the contract if enough votes can be secured. "It's been a long afternoon," said John D. Satterfield, vice president for business development with Cubic. Monday's vote came after Fulton County Superior Court Judge Marvin Arrington Sr. lifted a temporary restraining order last week. The restraining order was imposed after a competing bidder for the system, Thales e-Transactions, filed suit. Thales wants MARTA to rebid the contract because of procedural violations Thales claims were made in awarding the bid to Cubic. "We consider [Monday's vote] a victory not only because a Superior Court judge but some of the board members now realize the playing field was not level during the procurement," said Gregory A. Bailey, Thales' attorney. One of the MARTA board members who voted against moving ahead with the Cubic contract said the board's closed-session legal briefing before the vote did not convince him the contract should be signed, despite the urgent need for new equipment. "My own experience has led me to believe that in some cases like this it may be better to seek new proposals," said Jim Ritchey, Georgia Regional Transportation Authority's acting executive director. Bailey contends that MARTA could recoup its losses from the delay from savings on the cost of the contract if it is rebid. Earlier in the day, simmering tensions between MARTA and GRTA erupted during discussion of a planned outreach campaign to raise MARTA's profile in the current debate over transportation in the region. MARTA board members complained that the longterm blueprint for transit expansion in metro Atlanta created earlier this year by GRTA was assembled without input from MARTA's leadership. "MARTA has been for the past 30 years the whole backbone of transportation for the region, but we're not at the table when these decisions are made," said Board Secretary Juanita Jones Abernathy, who represents Atlanta. But Ritchey insisted that the transit plan incorporates recommendations from the MARTA staff. "We have sought MARTA's participation from the beginning," Ritchey said. Separately, MARTA has closed two lease financing deals involving part of its rail line that will yield about $46 million to the authority. MARTA plans to use the money for capital renovations. The deals involve the transfer of tax benefits to investors that lease certain assets from MARTA. The assets are leased back to MARTA for its use, but the investors get the tax benefits because MARTA is tax-exempt. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
| Subject | Author | Date |
| SAN DIEGO, Oct 30, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) | Cubic --$72.5 million contract/first in the U.S.--low-cost, limited-use smart card. | Friday, October 31, 05:22:32am |
| Atlanta Trains First In U.S. To Go Smart Card-Only | likely to be the first major U.S. system that relies almost exclusively on smart cards for fare payment. | Saturday, November 01, 09:48:11am |
| > MARTA is presently negotiating a contract for a system which willuse smart cards only. | Subject: Re: Smart cardsERG owns the technology Octopus.licensed | Saturday, November 01, 10:02:02am |