I don’t remember if there was ever a route 100 in the MARTA bus list, but if there was it’s now the new Atlanta Tourist Loop. The ATL is basically a MARTA bus skinned and making the rounds every thirty minutes to the Georgia Aquarium, the High Museum the downtown hotel district and other downtown landmarks.

Yep, it pretty much loops around downtown and goes north to the Fox Theatre and the Georgian Terrace. Will the MARTA-sponsored line run anywhere else in town? They’re planning on it — a Midtown route promises to roll out by Memorial Day which will run from the Georgia Aquarium to Arts Center MARTA and then towards Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. For regular MARTA riders, the buses will take your MARTA cards and Breeze cards. According to the site, the buses leave from North Avenue MARTA.

Because, you know…it’s a MARTA bus.

Let’s see — $1.75 for a bus that runs every thirty minutes (minimum) with limited hours on weekdays and weekends. And this differs from regular MARTA bus service how?

OK, all cynicism aside, this might just be the shot in the arm MARTA needs to help boost its image to tourists. I’d end it here with a quip about MARTA’s perception with the public in Atlanta, but you could just read Creative Loafing.