Roads are full - but commuter buses aren't

ATLANTA - The morning commute is a breeze for Debra Gill: She kicks off her shoes and sleeps the whole way. <br> <br> She never has to worry about being cramped because the Quicklink bus, part of a service designed by the state to reduce traffic congestion, is almost entirely empty. <br> <br> Four of the buses run both ways from Macon to Atlanta on weekdays, but they carry fewer than 30 passengers on an average day. The service, run by Greyhound Lines Inc., is being supplemented by $400,000 from the state. <br> <br> The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, the agency created by Gov. Roy Barnes to tackle explosive growth, will review the service when the money runs out, spokesman William Mecke said. <br> <br> Its first two projects were C-Trans, a successful bus system in Clayton County, and the Atlanta-to-Macon Quicklink lines. An planned bus system will link outlying counties with Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport and downtown Atlanta. <br> <br> Long-range commuter buses have been successful in other cities, and they are helped by special high-occupancy lanes on interstates, said Michael Meyer, a civil engineering professor at Georgia Tech. Those lanes are still in planning stages for the segment of Interstate 75 that links Macon and Atlanta. <br> <br> And transit is a tough sell for a city so dependent on cars, he said. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s not only changing the mindset, but putting in services that make sense,&#39;&#39; he said. ``I&#39;d be surprised if there&#39;s a very big market&#39;&#39; for Atlanta-to-Macon service. <br> <br> Greyhound remains optimistic. Ridership on a similar service in San Francisco has grown from Atlanta-like numbers to about 120 riders a day, spokeswoman Kristin Parsley said. <br> <br> ``A slow start is typical because you are changing people&#39;s lifestyles,&#39;&#39; she said. ``We wish we would make a record start, but that&#39;s not very realistic.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> A monthly pass on the Quicklink service is $215 from Macon and $135 from McDonough, closer to Atlanta. Phil Brown, who rides from McDonough, said he figures the pass is cheaper than driving. <br> <br> ``I was looking forward to something like this coming along,&#39;&#39; he said. ``I would be really upset if they stop this.&#34;