Under Armour and the Baltimore Ravens have donated a combined $75,000 to restore free bus rides for Baltimore public school students, city officials announced Tuesday.
The money, combined with $26,000 raised by families, will allow students to ride free on Maryland Transit Administration buses until 8 p.m. — two hours later than they can now. Students had been allowed to ride free during those hours before Baltimore schools and the MTA agreed to scale back free rides last year.
City Councilman Zeke Cohen said the extended hours will begin Monday and last through the rest of this school year.
"Even though this policy seems small, its impact has been large and dramatic for our families," said Cohen, chairman of the City Council’s Education and Youth Committee.
Under Armour donated $50,000 and the Ravens donated $25,000, officials said. Under Armour said it has been in discussions with city, state and community leaders since January to find a way to fill the funding gap.
With an array of brownies, Rice Krispies treats, cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies, several Baltimore City Council members said they were taking a stand against a bureaucracy that was keeping students from being able to take the bus home for free following after-school activities.
“Bake…
With an array of brownies, Rice Krispies treats, cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies, several Baltimore City Council members said they were taking a stand against a bureaucracy that was keeping students from being able to take the bus home for free following after-school activities.
“Bake…
Two weeks ago, members of the City Council sold brownies, Rice Krispies treats, cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookies at a bake sale to raise part of the money to restore the rides.
Since the free rides were scaled back late last year, Cohen said students have quit after-school programs and parents have scrambled to arrange pickups.
"One young woman described getting stuck miles away from her house and having to walk home through dark and dangerous streets," Cohen said. "We had parents tell us they needed to borrow their neighbor’s car in order to essentially rescue their kids."
Most days, Shantay Guy’s teenage son hustles from after-school studies to catch the bus in Northeast Baltimore, then rides the No. 22 across town, anxious to transfer at Mondawmin before 6 p.m. when his free rides end.
It’s a commute with little room for error.
"He has run into a couple of occasions when no one was able to get him and I’ve had to pick him up from Mondawmin because the time ran out," Guy said.
It wasn’t a problem until this school year. Previously, students could ride for free from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. using a card called the S-Pass. The school district and MTA, however, agreed last year to a new deal that ends free rides at 6 p.m.
The one-time $100,000 cash infusion restores service for now, but it is not enough to keep rides free through next year, Cohen said. He said the same business leaders and city, school and MTA officials will reconvene to find a longterm solution.
"This was an incredible win: first off, for our kids; second, our families; and third, our community that keeps the pressure on us to deliver," he said. "Now, it’s critically important that all of the stake holders come back to the table in order to solve the longer-term challenge."
Guy works as executive director of Community Mediation, a Waverly nonprofit that works to diffuse conflicts between everyone from gang members to landlords and tenants.
It’s a job that brings long hours and an unpredictable schedule. She presented her concerns to members of the City council during a hearing last month.
"If my son is staying after school," she said, "I’m not necessarily available."
She won’t have to worry about that now.
"This is the Baltimore I love," Guy said. "A Baltimore that shows our kids that we got their backs."
Baltimore Sun reporter Lorraine Mirabella contributed to this article.
tprudente@baltsun.com
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