MARTA officials warn riders to avoid jumping onto train tracks
ATLANTA - MARTA officials are asking riders no stop jumping down onto the tracks.
The warning from the transportation agency comes during a rise in the number of riders risking their safety to retrieve personal items.
MARTA North Precinct Commander Major Fredrico Jackson provided an urgent but simple message to riders, "It is restricted. There’s no reason why you should go to the trackway."
"With pandemic restrictions loosening up the main thing we have seen is more people going into the trackway area they may have dropped," Jackson said.
MARTA officials said several train stations have recently experienced riders jumping onto the tracks which caused an emergency response.
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"The trackway is very dangerous. It has trains coming at a high rate of speed. It also has 750 volts of electric current coming through that third rail," Jackson said.
What should you do if your belongings fall onto the tracks?
Officials say the best course of action is to contact the MARTA Police Department.
"We have a procedure in place where we can retrieve the property safely. We go through annual training to where we can go into the trackway and respond when people enter the trackway," Jackson said.
It’s no laughing matter, Jackson says you can and will face legal consequences if caught.
"We have signage that says if you enter the area it’s considered a criminal trespass. We have signage that says it’s a restricted area," Jackson said.
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