The Xpress Story…

Xpress is a Monday-through-Friday commuter public transportation service managed by the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). GRTA is a state agency created by the Georgia Legislature in 1999 to improve the state’s mobility, air quality and land use practices. A 15-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor provides policy direction for the authority and hires an Executive Director who hires staff for the agency.

Xpress builds upon the successful express bus services operated for several years by Cobb County Transit (CCT), and later Gwinnett County Transit (GCT) and provides a key link between the growing suburbs expanding throughout the region and the MARTA rail and bus network in Fulton and DeKalb counties.

Weekday commuters board over-the-road coaches in outlying park & ride lots and use the region's interstate highway network and growing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes for fast transportation to job centers in downtown and Midtown Atlanta, where passengers transfer for free to MARTA. Xpress helps reduce traffic congestion on the region's highways during peak times in the morning and late afternoon by providing motorists an attractive commute alternative.

GRTA contracts with Professional Transit Management, Inc. as its management contractor for most of the Xpress routes. GRTA contracts also with CCT and GCT, respectively, to operate its routes in Cobb and Gwinnett counties. As a result, the number of express routes has more than doubled for Cobb and Gwinnett.

Riders should be aware that if you are riding an Xpress coach operated by CCT or GCT, Xpress fares are not valid. You will need either a CCT or GCT fare if you are not paying cash for one-way or roundtrip. GRTA’s customer service center provides information and takes comments and concerns for all express services in the region.

GRTA launched the Xpress service in June 2004 with two routes. The service has now grown to more than 20 routes with more on the way. In 2006, Xpress coaches were boarded more than one million times. With clean, comfortable commuter coaches and a high level of customer service, Xpress has helped established a truly regional transportation network in metro Atlanta.