20 additional school bus routes restored on O‘ahu, starting Monday, Aug. 26

The Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) announced that 20 previously suspended school bus routes in Central Oʻahu will be reinstated starting Monday, Aug. 26. Service is being restored for approximately 604 student riders enrolled at seven schools. Last week, 34 routes were restored for 1,200 students.

Continuing efforts to restore suspended routes, bus service contractor Ground Transport Inc. (GTI) has secured additional drivers and buses by subcontracting with Polynesian Adventure Tours. The latest restored routes will be serviced by buses from GTI, Roberts Hawaii and Polynesian Adventure.

To expedite the return of bus service, seven of the restored routes will be serviced by Polynesian Adventure motor coaches instead of traditional yellow school buses. These bus routes and stop locations may be modified in residential areas to accommodate the larger motor coach frame to ensure safe turning clearances and driving operations.

Parents and guardians of student riders will be notified directly of restored routes and any necessary route modifications.

The following school bus routes in Central Oʻahu will resume service, effective Monday, Aug. 26.

ʻAiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex Area: 8 routes

• ʻAiea Intermediate – HR02A
• Aliamanu Middle – HR07A, HR08A, HR14A
• Moanalua High – HR19B, HR20B
• Radford High – HR14B, HR16B

Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua Complex Area: 12 routes

• Leilehua High – CR13B, CR18B, CR20B
• Mililani Middle – CR01B, CR01C, CR02B, CR04A, CR04B, CR05A, CR05B
• Wahiawa Middle – CR13A, CR17B

“Every possible remedy is being investigated to restore suspended school bus routes and we thank our students and their families for their patience,” Superintendent Keith Hayashi said. “We are working diligently with our contractor to get every available driver and to train new drivers to get more routes back into service as quickly as possible.”

The 20 routes that will be restored on Monday add to 34 routes previously restored on Aug. 12. Efforts to restore the remaining 93 suspended bus routes are ongoing. Superintendent Hayashi has formally requested assistance from the Hawaiʻi National Guard to support student transportation needs. Additionally, HIDOE has been collaborating with the mayors of Hawaiʻi, Maui, and Honolulu counties to increase capacity on public transportation routes that students can use to get to and from school.

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.