Uber, Lyft, Bike Share!
Charles is an Atlanta native, but has spent much of the last decade in Los Angeles. He’s been back in Atlanta for about three years. During the work week he spends most of his time in the city’s north metro suburbs, living in North Druid Hills and commuting by car to his Alpharetta office. On the weekends, however, Charles tends to spend more time intown and tries to use his vehicle sparingly. “I go to places like Midtown, West Midtown, and Edgewood. While I definitely try to use public transportation for larger events to avoid traffic, I often end up using Uber or Lyft or just driving,” he explains.
Since he returned from Southern California, a region known for its ever-increasing traffic woes, Charles has observed that Atlanta seems to be following a similar path. “I feel like Atlanta has grown so much. While it’s nice to see the city becoming a major hub, the influx of people is also detrimental to traffic and has made it worse and worse every year,” he says. “Atlanta wasn’t necessarily designed to handle the volume of traffic it’s getting. We’re not a grid system like some other larger cities, so it’s harder to get from point A to point B without encountering a lot of traffic.”
With the arrival of the city’s bike share program imminent, Charles has high expectations. “I think you’re going to see a lot more people biking than are today, particularly among Atlanta’s Millennial crowd. I absolutely see myself using the program. I feel like it would save me money, especially if I’m only traveling a few miles away, because I wouldn’t have to use Uber or Lyft. It would be great to check out a bike at once place and return it to another,” he says. “Tourists, too, will benefit. There are so many things drawing people to the city now, and I definitely see visitors utilizing this service. I’ve seen similar programs in Montreal and D.C., and I used them in both places and really enjoyed having that option as a tourist. Overall, I’d say biking is one of the best ways to experience a city, particularly if there are a lot of congested areas, which Atlanta obviously has.”
Charles also believes the program will have a positive impact on the environment and public health. “From a green standpoint, it helps the city because it reduces the number of cars on the road,” he says. “And from a health standpoint, it encourages people to exercise. Even for someone like myself, who is fairly active, I think it would be great to be on a bike instead of sitting in the back of an Uber or Lyft car.” Ultimately, Charles views the bike share program as a much-needed supplement to Atlanta’s current alternative transit options. “Though I think public transportation is a great way to travel, MARTA only does so much. I feel like a biking system really fills in those gaps and continues to establish Atlanta as a leader in the South.”
