Driver Dies After Pickup Hits MARTA Bus on Interstate 75 Southbound in Clayton County, Closing Lanes Near Forest Parkway During Morning Commute

CLAYTON COUNTY, GA — A driver was killed early Tuesday after a pickup truck crashed into the back of a MARTA bus on Interstate 75 southbound near Forest Parkway in Clayton County. The collision forced officials to close all southbound lanes while emergency crews responded at the scene.

Clayton County police said the truck struck the rear of the bus. No passengers were on board the MARTA bus, and the bus driver was not hurt.

The crash created a major traffic problem during the morning commute, with backups stretching toward Interstate 285.

Southbound I-75 was shut down near Forest Parkway

Emergency medical crews reached the crash site shortly after the wreck was reported. The shutdown affected southbound traffic on one of the area’s busiest corridors, and drivers were left with little room to move around the scene.

Officials said the closure took in all southbound lanes near Forest Parkway. That meant traffic had to be diverted while responders worked the collision and investigators began sorting out what happened.

The blockage quickly spilled into the wider interchange area, adding to delays for drivers headed through Clayton County and toward the metro Atlanta core.

Pickup struck the rear of the bus, police said

According to Clayton County police, the pickup hit the back of the MARTA bus. The impact proved deadly for the pickup driver, who died in the crash.

Police did not immediately say what caused the truck to collide with the bus. They also did not release the driver’s identity in the information shared Tuesday morning.

The MARTA bus was traveling southbound on I-75 at the time of the collision. With no riders aboard, the crash did not injure any passengers.

MARTA driver was unhurt and the bus carried no passengers

Transit officials and police confirmed the bus was empty when the crash happened. That detail reduced the number of people directly affected, but it did not lessen the disruption on the roadway.

The bus driver was not injured, according to police. Even so, the vehicle remained part of a serious crash investigation and a major lane shutdown on the interstate.

Because no one else on the bus was hurt, the focus of the response centered on the pickup driver and the work needed to clear the highway safely.

Traffic backed up toward Interstate 285 as another crash was reported

The wreck near Forest Parkway caused delays that stretched toward Interstate 285, where motorists already faced slowdowns from the closure. Officials also said another crash was reported near the traffic backup approaching I-285.

Exit 58 on I-285 was closed as the congestion built, and delays extended from Central Avenue. Drivers heading through the area were urged to use alternate routes rather than stay on the affected stretch of interstate.

Jonesboro Road and Old Dixie Highway were the recommended detours for motorists trying to avoid the shutdown and the growing queue of traffic.

Detours were advised while investigators worked the scene

Authorities advised drivers to leave the interstate if possible and use local roads to get around the closure. Jonesboro Road and Old Dixie Highway offered the main alternatives mentioned for traffic trying to bypass the scene.

The incident showed how quickly a serious crash on I-75 can ripple through surrounding roads in south metro Atlanta. A single collision near a major interchange was enough to affect traffic well beyond the immediate crash site.

As investigators continued their work, commuters faced slow travel, closed lanes and stacked delays across the corridor.