Members of the Hope [College] Academy of Senior Professionals (HASP) received a 90-minute lesson on the history of public transit in Holland as part of its social studies curriculum on Jan. 16, and the course is now being made available to other groups and organizations.
MAX Marketing and customer service manager Sherri Cadeaux developed the course for HASP
at the group’s request, and researched the early history of public transit along the lakeshore from the 1900s through modern day.
The course covers the evolution of public transit in the U.S. and early beginnings in the Holland
area, including details on the Interurban railway and the City of Holland’s Dial-A-Ride, which was
the first in the State of Michigan. The presentation features some rare historical photos that
were obtained by the Holland Historical Trust.
The course covers factors affecting public transit use over the past century, such as
industrialization and urbanization, the socio-economic benefits of public transit, funding sources,
Federal Transportation Administration regulations, Authority Board oversight under Public Act 196, and regional and route planning.
