Faculty and staff gathered at the Dial-A-Ride facility Tuesday to celebrate its 40th year serving the Hillsdale community.
Hillsdale bus service Dial-A-Ride transports people to various destinations with a single phone call. It was the 13th such service to start in Michigan through a federal grant written by past Hillsdale Mayor Herb Hine. Dial-A-Ride has served a diverse group of customers since its foundation in 1975 — transporting school children, elderly adults, handicapped individuals, and even some Hillsdale college students to school, work, medical facilities, and special events.
Dial-A-Ride Director Judy Buzo has worked as a bus driver for 15 years and director for five.
She said working with Dial-A-Ride has helped her foster relationships with people in town.
“We keep tabs on people in the community,” Buzo said. “When these people die, you feel like you lose part of your family.”
Parents, like Provost David Whalen and his wife Janet Whalen, also find Dial-A-Ride’s service helpful in transporting their children.
“My oldest, Veronica, joined a Hillsdale school choir but in order for her to be able to participate, we gratefully made use of the Dial-A-Ride services,” Janet Whalen said. “That was when I first met Judy, the dispatcher. She made sure that Veronica was always on time and where she needed to be and they developed quite a rapport.”
When Janet decided to use Dial-A-Ride for her son, she praised its ability to create a personal connection with its users.
“That first call to schedule Paul’s first ride was surprising and very reassuring,” Janet said. “Judy answered the phone, recognized the surname and asked if I was Veronica’s mom. She remembered her and wanted to know all about her.”
Janet added that Dial-A-Ride is flexible and accommodating.
“Paul has been taken to the Biermann, Howard and to various other destinations and never once has there been a problem, even when I have called to schedule a ride at the last minute,” Janet said. “They are all very patient and cheerful dispatchers and drivers. I have complete confidence in the service.”
In addition to the convenience of Dial-A-Ride that many appreciate, its users say it’s a safe method of transportation. According to Buzo, Dial-A-Ride has never had a serious accident. Dial-A-Ride driver Sue Kehn attests to its trustworthiness.
“We make sure the kids are in the door before leaving,” Kehn said.“Their parents trust them with us, because they know we’re going to take care of them.”
Janet agreed.
“I never worried about my 11-year-old,” Janet said. “The drivers all took good care of her.”
While city residents and leadership appreciate Dial-A-Ride’s contributions, the service is a large item on the city budget annually. In the 2014 fiscal year it cost the city more than $38,000, which led council to consider cutting the service.
“Dial-A-Ride is a lovely service that benefits key audiences in our community,” councilperson Emily Stack Davis said in an email. “With changes in the public school busing system, they’ve seen a decline in school-age riders for a few years. The council and city will always need to weigh the benefits versus the prudent allocation of taxpayer funds.”
To help cover costs of the service, Hillsdale County Commissioner Ruth Brown recently obtained $100 Social Isolation Grant. It will allow Buzo to provide tickets to low-income senior citizens who wish to take a trip to Wal-Mart and other local destinations.
Brown emphasized the importance of Dial-A-Ride in the Hillsdale community.
“One of the main issues we have here in the city of Hillsdale is transportation,” Brown said. “Having public transportation is vital to the city’s well-being and to that of its citizens.”
