HIDOE to restore one additional school bus route in Upcountry Maui starting Monday

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education announced today that one previously suspended school bus route in Upcountry Maui will be reinstated starting on Monday, Dec. 9, restoring service for nearly 40 student bus riders.

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

The following school bus route will resume service, effective Monday, Dec. 9.

Baldwin-Kekaulike-Kūlanihākoʻi-Maui Complex Area: 1 route

• Kekaulike High – UR09A

Following the restoration of this route, a total of 116 routes will have been restored, representing 81% of previously impacted routes. Efforts to restore the remaining 22 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.