Mayor: Charm City Circulator Will Stay Free

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Some residents of south Baltimore and other parts of the city are breathing a sigh of relief Tuesday because the Charm City Circulator's banner route has been given a reprieve.

Ron Matz reports the mayor says she's going to find the money to pay for the free bus service used by millions every year.

The Charm City Circulator is Baltimore's free bus service that's used by four million people every year, including Cristina Caldwell of Locust Point.

"We use the Circulator. It's free, it's easy and clean. We take it to O's games; we take it to the Inner Harbor and things like that," Caldwell said.

But the banner route, which runs through south Baltimore, was about to hit a dead end---then the mayor reversed course. She says that route and other proposed cuts will not happen.

"I expanded the Charm City Circulator. It is a vital connector that many people depend on. I asked my team to see if there's a way we can move toward a model that is yes, fiscally prudent, but also socially responsible," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

Kirby Steining is visiting Baltimore and he's using the Circulator for the first time.

"The ride was very good. It was fast, the air conditioning worked and I don't need much more than a good ride," Steining said. "I was on the purple connector to the banner route. I'm glad to see that it's not being discontinued. I think a lot of other people could use it."

Make no mistake, the Circulator is popular but it's run a deficit since it began five years ago. The service costs about $14 million a year.

"The changes won't take place on July 20. There's going to be a series of public meetings where we hear from the public while we still work to create efficiencies. The Circulator only works when we get it to be a fiscally sustainable model," Rawlings-Blake said.

"I think the residents in this area really like it. Everyone in our neighborhood uses it; it's a safe way to get around town," Caldwell said. "It's really easy."

A spokesman for the mayor says while the service will remain free, some wait times between buses may increase as the city looks for ways to cover costs.