It’s said that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. But, in Baltimore, at least, there is such a thing as a free ride. Charm City Circulator buses have been running through downtown to some neighborhoods in the city since 2010. It’s free to passengers – but, of course, the money comes from somewhere: much of it from taxes on parking garages downtown. That has not been enough. The Circulator now faces a deficit of more than $11 million dollars.
A City Council committee held a hearing on the Circulator’s financial straits yesterday, directing some of its queries to William Johnson, director of the City’s Department of Transportation, which is responsible for running the Circulator. We visit Mr. Johnson in his office to discuss the future of it.
