AATA cuts service lbw PIRGIM board By JEFFREY WOLFF The Ann(, Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) board last night unanimously approved service cuts of 309 hours a week to take effect March 18. These cuts include the elimination of Saturday Dial-A-Ride (DAR). All the cutbacks are in DAR service, dealing almost exclusively 'with elimination or reductions of peak-hour ,service. The reduction of §aturday DAR accounts for 125of the weekly -hour cuts. AATA Operations Assistant Henry Bonislawski said 2,585 people currently use DAR on an average Saturday. Regular fixed route service will be extended with four new lines on Saturday, but Bonislawski admits some of these riders will "most certainly" stop using AATA due to long walking distances to the fixed route bus stops. The cutbacks on weekdays represent an average reduction of approximately 36 hours per day. The 'cuts consist of removing peak hour vans which arrive at Fourth and William in the West Summit, Burns Park, and West. Madison zones; discontinuing one of two Miller vans during morning peak hours; one van on the Packard-Platt zone during evening peak hours; and reducing service levels on the Veteran's Administration} Hospital route and Pontiac zone. Bonislawski said there are now nearly 100 people with daily standing orders for these routes, and many more use these routes less frequently. AATA currently operates 4,271 hours a week. Saturday DAR Now runs from 8:00 a.m. until 6:15 p.m. Board chairman Edwin Pear said "No board member relishes the thought of voting for service cuts but it is something which has to be done." He added that one advantageof the cuts will be in "getting the house in order so next year we will be able to set realistic service levels." The cuts are the result of AATA" Learning just last month that it was not eligible for $500,000 in federal funds, despite previous assurances to'the con- trary. To-meet this sudden deficit, the Department of State Highways and Transportation (DSHT) offered AATA $460,000. The service cuts are intended to eliminate the remainder of the deficit. The board voted last night to accept the state offer which consists of a $200,000 loan to be repaid with interest and $260,000 from a recommended two- year Demonstration and Development Program. This $260,000, still awaiting approval by the state legislature, was previously intended for AATA expan- sion. nembers By)N BENSCHOTER PIRG' members elected seven membeo the reform group's local board ring elections this week. Only 7IRGIM members voted in the ellion, which had been post- ponedr a month due to a lack of publif ppIM coordinator Tom Moran saidiat PIRGIM is concerned abothe low election turnout and theganization is stepping up effor- ts combine PIRGIM elections wi Michigan Student Assembly (1A) elections in the spring. combined election has been held ihe past and nearly 3,000 votes ye recorded. This figure is still far tow the 12,500 PIRGIM members io are eligible to vote. MSA rpresentatives were not available r comment. The seven PIRGIM members lected this week are: Gary Claxton, ark Klender, Marian Langelier, elected John Leone, Steve Michaelson, Jon Stromsta, and Paula Waterman. The new board is expected to act on a proposal at their first meeting next week which will deal with the status of the elections. Two seats will be open in April for positions that will be vacated by next fall. Elections for those positions will be in April. PIRGIM announced that it will have better communications with local news agencies in an attempt to better their public relations. Marian Langelier, who Was elec- ted to the board for her third term, said she thought MSA would approve the combined elections. She added that if MSA does not approve the proposal, PIRGIM elections would be held as close as possible to the MSA elections. She also indicated that more polling places would be set up, weather permitting, and if enough people volunteer to staff them. The Michigan Daily-Thursday, February 15, 1979-Page 5 earn$~1OO amonth for 2 or 3 hours a week of your spare time. donate pIasma You may save a life! It's easy and relaxing. Be a twice-a-week regular. $10 cash each donation, plus bonuses. this ad worth $5 extra New donors only. Phone for appointment. ANN ARBOR PLASMA CORPORATION 662-7744 I GUIDE phone lines help round-the-clock By ROBERT FELDMAN How long does it take to boil an egg? What movies are playing on campus tonight? THESE QUESTIONS and more can be answered by calling 76-GUIDE, or simply GUIDE on campus phones. However, the 24-hour GUIDE phone line also offers counseling to callers. Advisor Evelyn Gauthier feels too many people think GUIDE is only for persons with serious problems. "It doesn't have to be a crisis to call," she said. "We want to encourage people to talk to GUIDE." Since the early 1970s, GUIDE operators have been coming up with answers to all sorts of questions. "Someone wanted to know what is the gestation period for elephants," Gauthier said. HOWEVER, GUIDE answers more questions that deal with acad'emics and _social services than with elephants. Besides answering questions, GUIDE operators frequently direct callers' questions to other University and local agencies, Gauthier said. GUIDE's counseling function in- cludes crisis intervention, problem solving, and giving support. Though there are fewer calls at night, these night calls generally are the more serious counselling calls for the 26 students who operate GUIDE. GUIDE operators are backed up by Counseling Services during the day and a counselor on call at night, Gauthier said. DAYTIME GUIDE workers are volunteers while the nighttimhe workers are paid. GUIDE is funded through Peer Counseling. All of the students who work on GUIDE participate in ,other aspects of Peer Counseling, in- WAKE UP! U~p1. to S4rb43a cluding Outreach and assertivess training. GUIDE grew out of a proposal i070 by a coalition of University groate and undergraduate psychology DIen- ts. These students supported a tver- sity service to deal with druglated problems. Because of legal priems, such as the University's liaVy for students involved in the pposed program, GUIDE later separAd from Drug-Help. GUIDE stand out primarily as an information svice but now emphasizes counseling. It is unusual to get a busignal at GUIDE. However, if the li is busy, GUIDE counselors suggest call back quickly. Many calls are formation calls which are usually arered swif- tly, enabling the three GjE lines to become free within severgfinutes. ELECTION DIRECTORS NEEDED To organize and operate the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) elections of April 2-3-4. Requires one month of preparation. Experience helpful. Paid position by contract. Apply 3909 Michigan Unn, 9-5 ily 'V Deadline February 21, 1979 r FINAL 'inter 'en rance ALL DOWN AND POLARGUA RD COATS 20 -50 % OFF ALL SWEATERS 25 X-COUNTRY SKI -50 % OFF PACKAGES _I 4 ALL 25 % OFF LARGE SELECTION OF PANTS $5.99 BONNA SKIES $59.95 (reg.S 75.00) HATS'& GLOVES 5O % OFF r ii III III ilIII ra /*00-011 z A . r a v.