Maui Economic Opportunity’s Lāna‘i Shopping Shuttle restarts Oct. 3 with new arrival, store sites

Maui Economic Opportunity’s once-a-week Lāna‘i Shopping Shuttle on Maui, which has been suspended since the Aug. 8 wildfires, will resume Oct. 3 with a few changes.

MEO Lāna‘i will transport residents to Manele Small Boat Harbor for an 8:30 a.m. departure to Mā‘alaea Small Boat Harbor on the Expeditions Ferry.

MEO Maui buses are scheduled to pick up Lāna‘i residents at 9:15 a.m. and take them to Walmart, Costco, The Maui Mall and Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center. Some transfers will be allowed between destinations.

The group will be returned to Mā‘alaea harbor at 2:45 p.m. for a 3:30 p.m. ferry departure. MEO Lāna‘i will pick up residents at Manele harbor and transport them home.

The shopping shuttle is limited to 10 residents with priority given to kūpuna.

Prior to the Lahaina wildfire, the shopping shuttle arrived at the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor with the group taken to the Lahaina Gateway, the Lahaina Cannery Mall, Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors and Island Grocery Depot.

In addition to the severe damage to Lahaina harbor, Expeditions lost its offices, records, backup parts and access to reserve vessels, the ferry website said.

The Lāna‘i shuttle is the brainchild of former Council Member Riki Hokama, who held the Lānai residency seat. He recognized that shopping on the island was expensive and asked MEO to provide more opportunities for residents to access the shopping shuttle program.

About five years ago, he secured $10,000 for the free service, which mostly goes to defray the ferry ticket costs. MEO utilizes its Human Services transportation grant.

For more information, contact MEO’s Lāna‘i Branch at 808-565-6665.