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UHS Bus Users
Seeking Options
RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER
Stk. #M4122
erry Hansen, headmaster
at Detroit Country Day
School, decided to contract
with another bus company
even before he received news that
United Hebrew Schools Trans-
portation will close by June.
"Three years ago, when we
started with UHS, the service
was good, but it went downhill
after that," Mr. Hansen said.
"Everything you can imagine
goes wrong. Drivers don't pick up
the kids. Poor equipment. Break-
downs. Mufflers fall off. Doors
that don't close.
"I have a lot of parents upset
and irate about UHS Trans-
portation. They expect kids to be
picked up and brought to school
in the morning."
UHS Transportation, which is
operated by the Jewish Federa-
tion of Metropolitan Detroit, ser-
vices Jewish agencies and several
other institutions like Detroit
Country Day. Federation officials
announced last week that, after
a series of poor state inspections
and financial problems, UHS
Transportation will shut down.
About 500 students ride UHS
buses daily, including 100 pupils
from Hillel Day School.
"We're presently looking to
find some alternative," said Hil-
lel Administrative Director Scott
Cranis. "The school doesn't want
to get into the transportation
buiness, but we want to find
some option for the students."
Hillel administrators are
speaking with their counterparts
at Akiva Hebrew Day School,
which also employs UHS bus ser-
vice. The hope is to reduce ex-
penses by pooling their
transportation needs and jointly
enlisting the service of another
private bus company.
Although Mr. Cranis express-
es optimism about finding an al-
ternative, he doubts it will cost
less than UHS Transportation,
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"given the subsidies Federation
made to the system ..."
"I'm not totally shocked this
has happened," Mr. Cranis said.
"There have been problems this
year with transportation. How
much of it has to do with UHS
Transportation and how much of
it is the result of inclement
weather is hard to determine."
At Akiva, Executive Director
Barry Eisenberg said he regrets
the closing of UHS Transporta-
tion, but is glad Federation is ex-
tending bus service to children
attending Akiva's summer day
camp. (The exception also per-
"We loved the bus."
— Marcie Orley
tains to the JCCenter summer
day camp, which has the option
of contracting with UHS buses
after June.)
Marcie Orley from Franklin
sends two children to Hillel Day
School. Both youngsters ride the
bus and have made friends dur-
ing treks to and from school.
"We loved the bus," she said.
"It's been fabulous and conve-
nient. It's given the children a
real sense of neighborhood."
Ms. Orley estimates that she
spends $5.60 each day for UHS
bus services. If transportation
costs increase much with anoth-
er service, she says she will opt
to drive her children to and from
school.
"It certainly won't be the end
of the world," she said. "I think it
will be harder for people who are
working full time.
"This is something we're dis-
appointed about. It's an annoy-
ance," she said. "I hope
Federation takes the money it
saves and gives it to Hillel or di-
rectly to Jewish education." ❑
MJAC Hires First
Paid Staff Position
LESLEY PEARL STAFF WRITER
ompletely volunteer driven
until now, Michigan Jew-
ish AIDS Coalition
(MJAC) recently hired its
first executive director, Edwina
Davis.
A part-time position without
benefits, the executive director
will work to expand the educa-
tion and resource group's volun-
C
teer and contributor bases.
"This is really an opportunity
to help shape an organization
from the grass-roots level up,"
Ms. Davis said.
Fund raising is nothing new
for Ms. Davis.
She used to work for Detroit
City Councilwoman Maryann
Mahaffey, Jewish Vocational Ser-