The state Department of Education Friday said nine previously suspended school bus routes in east Hawaii island and on Maui will be reinstated starting Monday.
On July 1, just days before the start of the school year, the DOE announced that “workforce shortages” had prompted the suspension of 108 routes in Central Oahu and East Hawaii island affecting nearly 2,900 students. The next day it another 39 more routes in Central and Upcountry Maui also would be suspended, affecting an additional 820 students.
Monday’s restoration will benefit approximately 100 student riders across 10 schools. Parents and guardians of the affected students will be directly notified about the reinstated routes and any necessary adjustments.
Once these nine routes are back in operation, a total of 109 bus routes will have been restored. Efforts to address the remaining 29 suspended routes are still ongoing.
On Oct. 2, Gov. Josh Green extended an emergency proclamation that allows the DOE to continue addressing the school bus driver shortage through Nov. 30. The proclamation enables the use of alternative transportation solutions, including the temporary use of tour buses for regular education students.
Additionally, the DOE’s bus contractor, Ground Transport Inc., can place drivers on school buses before they fully complete the licensing process. Full licensure — including a commercial driver’s license with the required passenger and school bus endorsements — is still necessary for permanent positions, but these provisions help expedite the availability of drivers in the interim.
The following school bus routes will resume service Monday:
>> Waiakea Elementary, Waiakea Intermediate, Waiakea High — TR12A/B
>> Waiakea Elementary, Waiakea Intermediate, Waiakea High — TR13A/B
>> Kea‘au Middle — SR23A
>> Kea‘au Elementary, Kea‘au Middle — SR27A/B
>> Waihe‘e Elementary, ‘Iao Intermediate, Baldwin High — BR12A
>> Kalama Intermediate, Kekaulike High — UR19A
