Janet Weinstein/ABC News(ATLANTA) — Georgia resident James Bray eyes a group of fans as they approach the subway exit gates.
One fan in particular needs help adding money to his train card. The 65-year-old Bray, a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority station agent, rushes over to help.
“I love working with people,” Bray told ABC News. “I love to direct them and give them advice and directions.”
With a surge of football fans expected to descend on the city of Atlanta this weekend for Super Bowl LIII, Bray is one of the many locals who will be welcoming them into the city in his own small way.
“We usually see about 300,000 riders daily. This week, we’ve seen an increase from 30,000-60,0000 additional riders a day because of the Super Bowl,” said Stephany Fisher, a communications manager for MARTA. “And we expect that to go up this weekend.”
“We are ready!” Bray added with a smile.
Bray said he is doing all that he can to prepare for the madness.
“Fourteen hours on our feet. More than 14 hours, so we get ready by making sure the station is working,” he said.
Most riders ask him for directions or help navigating the public transportation system.
But the real question is: Rams or Patriots?
“I prefer the Rams to win,” he laughed. “Because we need someone else to win sometimes.”
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