School Study On Busing Is Requested

School Board Presiden tl Joseph R. Julin requested last ■night that the Ann Arbor Public Schools conduct a study to determine the feasibility of operating a school bus system which would serve all pupils in the school district, regardless of residence. Julin said he is suggesting such a cost study because he is "convinced . . . that the city will not be able to solve the problem of providing an adequate transportation system for the city in the foreseeable future." Julin estimated that such a school-operated bus system would cost from $1 to $2 million per year, and said he "seriously doubts that the taxpayer will support the increase which this (service) would dictate." But the school board president said no long-range solution to the "City Council problem" of providing an adequate transportation system for the city should go "unexplored." Julin stressed that his request for a cost study was long-range in its ramificatipns, and said the Board of Education could not provide any financial assistance to Ann Arbor City Transit, Inc., for the coming semester. Julin said, in his judgment „the City Council can solve the coming semester's problem "if ,it has the will," despite the fact such a solution would be costly. The Ann Arbor City Council has been asking the school board to help subsidize the! problem-riddled city bus company, since about 1,500 school children are transported at their own cost on city buses. These children are not eligible for free school bus transportation because of state reimbursement regulations. Julüi said his meeting Tuesday iwth city officials and other school officials convinced him that the city will not be able to provide an adequate transportation system in the foreseeable future. Trustee William C. Godfrey asked that the study also include the cpst of transporting those childre living inside the city but more than 'VA miles from school. These children are presently refused for school bus transportation because of the state reimbursement requirements. School Supt. W. Scott Wester-I man Jr. will respond to Julin'si fequest for a cost study at a future briefing session.