In August 2025, the ATL Airport Community Improvement Districts launched the Shift On Demand microtransit pilot to explore a practical question: Could flexible, on-demand transportation help close first- and last-mile gaps for people living and working in the area?
One year later, the results point to a clear need for this type of service.
During its first year, Shift On Demand recorded:
Those numbers tell an important story about demand and usage. Rider feedback adds another layer: for some participants, Shift On Demand is not simply a convenient alternative. It is an important connection to employment.
Microtransit is a flexible transportation service designed to complement traditional public transit.
This can include the connection between:
Shift On Demand applies that model to the transportation needs of people living or working in the South Cargo and ATL Airport areas.
The Shift On Demand pilot was created to examine whether microtransit could improve access to dense employment centers and provide better connections for workers whose schedules or locations are not fully served by traditional transportation options.
Many employees in South Metro work schedules that do not follow a traditional nine-to-five workday.
One of the pilot’s primary goals was to provide a transportation option for people traveling outside traditional transit operating hours.
Shift On Demand operates seven days a week during:
These hours help cover early mornings, midday periods, evenings, overnight, weekends and holidays.
Shift On Demand received 125,366 ride requests, completed an average of approximately 157 rides each day during its first year.
One of the original goals of the pilot was to showcase the demand for more robust transit options. Riders reported that if Shift On Demand were no longer available, getting to work would either become difficult or, in some cases, impossible. Also, before using the service, riders were also spending $50 or more per week on their commute.
Together, the first-year results show how a flexible transportation service can help people reach jobs, connect with public transit, reduce commute costs and navigate transportation gaps that might otherwise make getting to work much harder.
Shift On Demand’s first year was made possible by every person who downloaded the app, booked a ride, provided feedback or shared the service with someone else.
Whether you used Shift On Demand for a regular commute, a connection to MARTA, an overnight shift or an unexpected transportation need, your participation helped demonstrate the value of flexible transportation in South Metro.
Shift On Demand is free for eligible trips within the South Cargo and ATL Airport service areas.
Download the Shift On Demand app to check your trip and book a ride. Riders without a smartphone can call 404-800-6926 to make a reservation.
This September, Shift teamed up with Georgia Commute Options to challenge South Metro and ATL Airport-area employees to give MARTA a real try for their work trips. Commuters showed up. Over 30 days, participants logged 1,234 transit trips in MyGCO, and free MARTA passes reached employees at 104 different employers across the district.
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