14 school bus routes to be restored on Monday including one servicing Upcountry Maui
The Hawai‘i State Department of Education announced today that 14 previously suspended school bus routes will be reinstated starting Monday, Sept. 23, restoring service for more than 250 student bus riders at 10 schools. This includes six routes in Central Oʻahu, seven routes on Hawaiʻi Island and one route in Upcountry Maui.
The latest restored routes will be serviced by bus service providers Ground Transport Inc. and Roberts Hawaiʻi. 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. 23.
OʻAHU
- Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area: 6 routes
- Mililani Middle – CR06A, CR06B
- Wheeler Middle – CR16A, CR16B
- Leilehua High – CR15A, CR15B
HAWAI‘I ISLAND
- Hilo-Waiākea Complex Area: 2 routes
- Waiakeawaena Elementary, Waiakea Intermediate and Waiakea High – TR11A, TR11B
- Ka‘ū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex Area: 5 routes
- Keonepoko Elementary – SR16A, SR16B
- Mountain View Elementary – SR35A, SR35B
- Kāʻu High & Pāhala Elementary – SR07A
MAUI
- Baldwin-Kekaulike-Kūlanihākoʻi-Maui Complex Area: 1 route
- Kekaulike High and Kalama Intermediate – UR16A
Following the restoration of the 14 routes next Monday, a total of 96 routes will have been restored. Efforts to restore the remaining 42 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.