* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Clarke
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Allowing Students To Use MTA Bus Tickets and Transfers Until 8:00 P.M.
FOR the purpose of urging the MTA to instruct all transit operators to accept Baltimore City Schools bus tickets and student transfer tickets as valid until 8:00 p.m. on school days.
Body
WHEREAS, after-school opportunities help public school students
(1) acquire academic, cultural, and athletic skills,
(2) participate in positive activities with adult and older peer role models, and
(3) engage in stimulating, positive, and exciting activities, as opposed to the many opportunities for negative activities before parents have arrived home from work, and
WHEREAS, after-school services represent a substantial investment from both the Baltimore City budget and the City Schools budget, and therefore the City has an interest in those services being used by the largest number of students possible; and,
WHEREAS, funded after-school activities have greatly increased in number over the past ten years because of increased attention to the importance of these services; and,
WHEREAS, subsidized bus transportation is a critical factor enabling low-income students to participate in after-school activities; and,
WHEREAS, the travel window for use of subsidized bus tickets is ordinarily until 6:30 p.m. but can extend until 8:00 p.m., provided that students have their bus tickets stamped by an authorized stamp at their school; and,
WHEREAS, it is often extremely difficult or impossible for students to get their subsidized bus tickets stamped by an authorized stamp, because
(1) the stamp is often inaccessible when students try to find an administrator to stamp their ticket, or
(2) the stamp has been lost or stolen from the school, or
(3) the after-school activity takes place at an off-campus location, or
the student is inhibited by the potential obstacles in the process from even trying to find the authorized stamp; and,
WHEREAS, students who participate in after-school programs at off-campus locations must "use up" their bus ticket in traveling to the off-campus location; and,
WHEREAS, special student transfer tickets expire 90 minutes after they are issued, meaning that students who "used up" their bus ticket getting to an off-campus program have less than 90 minutes to participate and travel home before the transfer ticket expires; and,
WHEREAS, many students are concerned that their bus tickets or transfers will have expired before they have traveled home if they stay for an after-school activity or travel to an off-campus location for an after-school activity; and,
WHEREAS, eliminating the need for having bus tickets stamped and the 90 minute expiration on student transfers does not alter the already established policy that from the end of school until 8:00 p.m. is a reasonable window for secondary school students to participate in after school activities; and,
WHEREAS, eliminating the need for having bus tickets stamped and the 90 minute expiration on student transfers would make it easier for students to participate in after school activities, because they could be assured of getting home before the 8:00 expiration of their ticket; and,
WHEREAS, a major cause of student disruptions on MTA buses after school is over-crowding and student frustration from overcrowded buses; and,
WHEREAS, additional students participating in after school activities would likely reduce overcrowding on buses and also disruptive incidents by spreading out homeward travel over a longer period; and,
WHEREAS, it is inequitable and unacceptable that public school students who can afford bus fare are able to participate in certain after school activities but students who cannot afford bus fare are "timed out" of participation because of bus ticket expiration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, that this Body urges MTA to instruct all transit operators to accept Baltimore City Schools bus tickets and student transfer tickets as valid until 8:00 p.m. on school days.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the MTA Administrator, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the Council.
dlr08-0496~intro/22Oct08
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dlr08-0496~intro/22Oct08
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