SHOWAbility to host metro Atlanta disability transit forum in November

SHOWAbility will hold a public forum Nov. 21 in Atlanta to gather feedback from disabled riders on MARTA and other metro transit systems. The event comes as the group pushes for clearer rider input on accessibility, paratransit service and the day-to-day barriers that affect work, healthcare and community access.

Why it matters: - Reliable transit can determine whether disabled residents in metro Atlanta get to work, reach medical appointments and participate in community life. - SHOWAbility says the forum is meant to give disabled and vulnerable riders a direct voice in the future of public transit accessibility and improvements. - The discussion is also relevant to transit agencies beyond MARTA, including Ride Gwinnett, CobbLinc and Xpress.

What happened: - SHOWAbility will host a Metro Atlanta Transit Community Conversation for Disabled/Vulnerable Riders on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, at 2 p.m. - The forum will be held at the Loudermilk Center, 40 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30303. - The nonprofit says the event is free and open to the public. - Interested attendees can register by emailing info@showability.org. - Media inquiries go to Norma Stanley at nstanley@showability.org or 678-508-3744.

The details: - The forum will focus on MARTA’s fixed-route bus and rail systems and MARTA Mobility, the agency’s paratransit service. - Disabled riders, caregivers, advocates and stakeholders from all metro Atlanta transit services are invited. - Those services include Ride Gwinnett bus service and ADA paratransit, CobbLinc bus service and ADA paratransit, and Xpress regional commuter coaches. - Each system reports being ADA compliant to some degree, and the law requires equitable service for riders using fixed routes or paratransit. - SHOWAbility said it has had to add an extra hour before events and two extra hours after events to accommodate drop-off and pickup needs tied to MARTA Mobility. - The organization says it has had to make those exceptions throughout its 15 years because of transit issues, not because of its participants. - The first half of the forum will collect rider experiences on scheduling, long waits, missed pickups, customer service, station and elevator access, wheelchair access, safety, eligibility and the impact on work, healthcare and community life. - Those experiences will be recorded for evaluation. - The second half will center on solutions and on what agencies are doing well.

Between the lines: - SHOWAbility is using the event to press for a dedicated rider conversation after MARTA declined a town hall specifically for disabled riders, saying disabled riders are welcome at general town halls. - Founder and Executive Director Myrna Clayton argues that disabled riders need a forum designed around their experiences because feedback can get lost in broader public meetings. - Clayton said MARTA’s transportation metrics tend to focus on time, while rider concerns also include inconsistent driver support, poor dispatch service and weak follow-through on complaints. - She framed the issue as a long-running quality-control problem that has existed since ADA paratransit requirements began in 1990. - Clayton said MARTA Mobility improved on-time pickups after launching a new RideCo-powered platform during the FIFA World Cup, but problems remain with early drop-offs, driver inconsistency, customer service and follow-through. - The event is timed to capture rider feedback nearly five months after that platform launch. - SHOWAbility says the feedback will be organized into themes and recommendations for future conversations with transit agencies and government leaders. - Clayton said the forum is meant to move the discussion from complaints to conversation and then to real solutions.

What's next: - SHOWAbility plans to use the forum’s feedback to inform follow-up conversations with MARTA, other transit agencies and government leaders. - Representatives from MARTA, Ride Gwinnett, CobbLinc, Xpress, government, disability organizations and community leadership are being invited to attend, listen and contribute. - Clayton said the forum advances SHOWAbility’s Visibility → Relatability → Accessibility → Opportunity framework. - The organization says the goal is to identify where metro Atlanta’s transportation system works for riders with disabilities and where it needs to improve.

The bottom line: - SHOWAbility is turning transit access into a public accountability conversation, with disabled riders at the center of the discussion.