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WEBVTT MEMBERS OF THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION GATHERED WITH% UNION LABOR LEADERS, AND MTA RIDERS IN FRONT OF MTA HEADQUARTERS DOWNTOWN TUESDAY. THEY WANT THE MTA TO RE-THINK THEIR BALTIMORE LINK PLAN TO OVERHAUL BUS SERVICE IN THE CITY. >> NOT ONLY THE TRANSIT BUT WE ALSO HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS SO IT'S KIND OF BIGGER THAN TRANSIT ITSELF. REPORTER: THE BALTIMORE LINK PLAN WOULD ALLOW BUSES TO TRAVEL ON COLOR CODED ROUTES SERVING DOWNTOWN INCLUDING RE-DESIGNING CURRENT ROUTES AND OFFERIN EXPRESS BUS SERVICES, DESIGNED TO GET FOLKS ACROSS TOWN FASTER. >> WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS CUTTING OUT THE STOPS AND IF YOU HAVE 20 STOPS HERE AND YOU CUT 10 STOPS OUT WELL SURE YOU'RE GOING TO GET ACROSS TOWN FASTER CAUSE YOU'RE NOT STOPPING BUT THEN YOU'RE NOT PROVIDING A SERVICE FOR THE PUBLIC. REPORTER: THE ATU ALSO WOULD LIKE THE MTA TO ADDRESS SAFETY AND CLEANLINESS ON THE BUSES AND AT BUS AND SUBWAY STOPS. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CALLING AND COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FACT OF THE SAFETY ISSUES WE HAVE IN THE STATIONS NOW YOU HAVE RATS YOU HAVE MOLD YOU HA RUNNING WATER DOWN UNDER THERE YOU HAVE TRASH IT'S LIKE A FEEDING GROUND FOR THE RATS DOWN THERE. REPORTER: THE ATU PRESENTED A PETITION TO THE MTA WITH 600 SIGNATURES OF WORKERS AND RIDERS WHO WANT THEIR VOICES HEARD BEFORE THE BALTIMORE LINK PLAN IS FINALIZED. FOR SOME RIDERS A SUCCESSFUL FORMULA IS SIMPLE. >> MORE FREQUENT BUSES CLEANER BUSES IF THE BUS BREAKS DO SOMETHING IS PUT IN ITS PLACE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY CAUSE YOU'RE WAITING AT THE BUS STOP YOU DON'T KNOW THE BUS IS BROKEN DOWN, THAT IT IS NOT COMING. A MORE RELIABLE SYSTEM. REPORTER: IN RESPONSE, THE MTA SENT US A STATEMENT SAYING, IN PART, QUOTE BALTIMORELINK HASN'T BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED AND IT IS COMPLETELY IRRATIONAL AND RATHER ODD FOR THE UNION TO PREEMPTIVELY DECLARE THEIR REFUSAL TO COLLABORATE ON THIS TRANSFORMATIVE TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT WILL POSITIVELY BENEFIT SO MANY IN THE BALTIMORE AREA. END QUOTE. ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE, THEY'LL BE HOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS IN JANUARY FOR COMMENTS ON THE BALTIMORE LINK PLAN BEFORE ITS IMPLEMENTED.

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A group of community members, labor unions and public transit riders gathered Tuesday to encourage the Maryland Transit Administration to develop a transit plan that meets the city's needs, rather than the current BaltimoreLink plan. The group is proposing a "people's alternative" to the BaltimoreLink bus plan. They submitted a petition Tuesday and hope the MTA will listen. Members of the Amalgamated Transit Union gathered Tuesday with union labor leaders and MTA riders in front of MTA headquarters downtown Tuesday. They want the MTA to rethink their BaltimoreLink plan to overhaul bus service in the city. "Not only have the transit, but we also had safety concerns, so it's kind of bigger than transit itself," said David McClure, the president of ATU. The BaltimoreLink plan would allow buses to travel on color-coded routes serving downtown, including redesigning current routes and offering express bus services, designed to get riders across town faster. "What they're doing is cutting out the stops, and if you have 20 stops here, and you cut 10 stops out, well, sure, you're going to get across town faster because you're not stopping, but then you're not providing a service for the public," McClure said. The ATU also would like the MTA to address safety and cleanliness on the buses and at bus and subway stops. "A lot of people have been calling and complaining about the fact of the safety issues we have in the stations now. You have rats. You have mold. You have running water down under there. You have trash. It's like a feeding ground for the rats down there," McClure said. The ATU presented a petition to the MTA containing 600 signatures of workers and riders who want their voices heard before the BaltimoreLink plan is finalized. For some riders, a successful formula is simple. "More frequent buses, cleaner buses. If the bus breaks down, something is put in its place almost immediately because you're waiting at the bus stop. You don't know the bus is broken down (and) it's not coming. (We need) a more reliable system," MTA rider Yvonne Matthews said. MTA Senior Director Ryan Nawrocki released a statement to 11 News, saying, “BaltimoreLink will transform Baltimore's half-a-century-old and outdated transit network with the creation of bus-only dedicated lanes, installation of transit signal priority, construction of a transfer hub network, rebranding and replacement of more than 6,000 transit signs, expanded commuter bus service, new shared bicycle availability, access to car-sharing options and more. Ultimately, BaltimoreLink hasn't been fully implemented and it is completely irrational and rather odd for the union to preemptively declare their refusal to collaborate on this transformative transit system that will positively benefit so many in the Baltimore area.”