When I saw this I couldn't believe it.

It's down near the bottom:

Project Number: RFP P5176
 Project Title: Regional Trip Date of Award 11/07/05
Contractor: Trapeze Software Group, Inc.
Award Amount: $1,979,704.00
MARTA Contact: cbaker@itsmarta.com

I had to get confirmation, and I did get it.Here is what Miriam Lancaster wrote, in part, in response to my query:

the Regional Trip Itinerary project is a comprehensive trip planning tool that integrates all of MARTA's bus routes and schedules, rail lines and schedules, bus routes and schedules from other transit authorities, walking directions and driving directions to provide a complete trip planning tool for use by customer service agents and patrons. It includes software licensing, maintenance, interactive voice response, data conversion and implementation. It will provide real time information for trip planning.

Part of the blame here must go to the state, and its spending formula. MARTA can't put more of its money into operations when that's called for, as when energy costs rise. The expenditure in question is a capital cost, and thus comes out of the capital budget.

But still...

Trapeze Software, it should be noted, is a legitimate specialist in dealing with transit authorities around the world. The question here isn't whether the spending is legitimate, or whether it follows state formulas.

The question is whether we should be maintaining these kinds of priorities when energy costs are skyrocketing, when the general condition of the service is deteriorating, when the trains don't run on time, and when bus routes are being cut every single year.

This is the kind of issue the state ought to be looking into starting in January. Can the strings on MARTA be loosened so it can put its money into things that will deliver a better experience for patrons, and real growth? Is this an example of such spending?

Don't bet on that happening. Look, a Mexican!