Honolulu, HI – With an eye toward ensuring a smoother start to the upcoming school year, the Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) has released its student transportation plans for the 2025-26 academic year. The early announcement aims to provide families with ample time to prepare for potential changes and explore available options.
The Department is working closely with Governor Josh Green, M.D., and county mayors to mitigate the risk of route suspensions caused by ongoing shortages of qualified school bus drivers, a challenge impacting both local and national transportation systems.
“We’re doing everything we can now to prevent the kind of last-minute disruptions we experienced last year,” said Superintendent Keith Hayashi. “This includes working hand in hand with our school bus contractors to fill vacancies, restore suspended routes, and expand alternative options to keep students connected to school.”
Key initiatives for the 2025-26 school year include:
- Route Prioritization: HIDOE will continue to prioritize school bus service for elementary students and students receiving special education services. Applications for school bus service will open on Monday, July 14, 2025. For more information, visit https://hawaiipublicschools.org/school-services/eligibility-applying/.
- Public Transit Expansion: The EXPRESS program, offering free county bus passes, will be expanded to include middle and intermediate school students for the first time. High school students on all islands will continue to be eligible. Eligibility criteria include residency at least 1 mile from the home school for elementary students and 1.5 miles for secondary students. Applications will be accepted starting July 14 at https://bit.ly/HIDOE-EXPRESS. The expansion becomes effective August 1st.
- Carpool Pilot Program: A pilot carpool program will be launched in the Mililani (Central O‘ahu) and Kekaulike (Upcountry Maui) school complexes. The program will offer support and resources to connect families for shared school drop-off and pickup responsibilities. More details on participation will be shared with families in those areas in July.
HIDOE reports significant progress in addressing the driver shortage this year, reinstating 125 of the 138 routes initially suspended, thereby restoring service for approximately 3,500 students. Ongoing recruitment efforts include sign-on bonuses, wage increases, and improved benefits.
“Driver recruitment and retention remain our biggest challenges,” said Student Transportation Services Administrator Megan Omura. “The progress we’ve made this year reflects a strong, coordinated effort with our contractors and elected officials, and we’re continuing to build on that heading into the new school year.”
An emergency proclamation, extended through May 20th, has streamlined the hiring process by allowing drivers with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) and a “P” endorsement to operate school buses temporarily. The Department is monitoring House Bill 862, which would help make some of these emergency provisions available long-term.
The Department and its partners will continue working through the summer, monitoring staffing levels and supporting driver recruitment and training. Families are encouraged to stay informed by checking with their schools and the HIDOE website for the latest updates.