Nine additional school bus routes to be restored in Central Oʻahu, East Hawaiʻi and Upcountry Maui starting Monday

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education announced that nine previously suspended school bus routes in Central Oʻahu, East Hawaiʻi Island and Upcountry Maui will be reinstated starting Monday, Sept. 9, restoring service for nearly 200 student bus riders at seven schools.

The latest restored routes will be serviced by bus service contractors Ground Transport Inc. and Roberts Hawaii. Parents and guardians of student riders will be notified directly of restored routes and any necessary route modifications.

The following school bus routes will resume service, effective Monday, Sept. 9.

MAUI

• Baldwin-Kekaulike-Kūlanihākoʻi-Maui Complex Area: 1 route
  • Kekaulike High and Kalama Intermediate – UR02A

OʻAHU

• ʻAiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex Area: 2 routes
  • Moanalua Middle – HR22B
  • Moanalua Elementary – HR22A
• Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area: 2 routes
  • Wheeler Middle – CR12A, CR12B

HAWAI‘I ISLAND

• Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area: 2 routes
  • Kalanianaole Elementary – TR15A, TR16A
• Ka‘ū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area: 2 routes
  • Pāhoa High – SR12A, SR12B

Following the restoration of the nine routes next Monday, a total of 78 routes will have been restored. Efforts to restore the remaining 69 suspended bus routes are ongoing.

Ground Transport is actively recruiting new drivers, leveraging the governor’s emergency proclamation to streamline the hiring process. The proclamation allows drivers with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and a “P” endorsement – permitting them to transport passengers – to operate school buses temporarily, in lieu of the “S” endorsement specifically required for school bus drivers. The company is also exploring partnerships with other tour bus operators to further expand capacity.

More updates will be provided as additional bus routes are restored.