The Hawaii Department of Education will restore one previously suspended school bus route on Monday. The bus routes service 11 student-riders at Keaʻau Middle School on Hawaii Island. 

What You Need To Know

  • The resumption will restore transportation service to 11 student bus riders at Keaʻau Middle School

  • Prior to the start of the school year, HIDOE suspended 147 school bus routes in Central Oahu, East Hawaii Island and Central and Upcountry Maui because of an ongoing statewide shortage of school bus drivers and vehicles
  • So far, the department has reinstated 123 previously suspended routes

Before the start of the school year, HIDOE suspended 147 school bus routes in Central Oahu, East Hawaii Island and Central and Upcountry Maui because of an ongoing statewide shortage of school bus drivers and vehicles. The service interruption initially affected 3,720 students enrolled in school transportation. Along with the recent announcement of the restored bus route, the department has reinstated 123 of the previously suspended routes.

The latest restored routes will be serviced by contractor Ground Transport Inc.

Parents and guardians of student riders were notified directly of restored routes and any necessary route modifications. The following school bus routes will resume service on Monday:

Kaʻu-Keʻeau-Pāhoa Complex Area: 1 route

  • Kea’au Middle - SR21A

Efforts to restore the remaining 15 suspended bus routes are ongoing.

Ground Transport is actively recruiting new drivers, taking advantage of Gov. Josh Green’s Aug. 2, 2024, Proclamation Relating to School Bus Services, which lifted the restriction that only school vehicles may transport students and included specific provisions within employment-related law to allow for qualified drivers to serve in a student transportation capacity.

The proclamation allows drivers with a commercial driver’s license and a “P” endorsement (permitting them to transport passengers) to operate school buses temporarily, instead of the “S” endorsement specifically required for school bus drivers.

The company is also looking to work with other tour bus operators to further expand capacity. 

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