The Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) announced that a 7 previously suspended school bus routes in East Hawaiʻi will be reinstated starting Monday, Sept. 23, restoring service to student bus riders at 4 schools.
The latest restored routes will be serviced by bus service providers Ground Transport Inc. and Roberts Hawaii. 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.
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
Following the restoration of the 7 routes next Monday, a total of 96 routes in Hawaii will have been restored. Efforts to restore the remaining 42 throughout the state 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.