‘I’m a survivor’: Meet Auntie Uilani, one of Oahu’s oldest bus drivers

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Public transportation is part of many people’s daily lives. One Oahu bus driver has been part of those daily commutes for decades, and her way of connecting with new riders and her regulars doesn’t go unnoticed.

Uilani Souza, 76, has been a bus operator for over 40 years.

She currently drives routes 545 and 541 in Pearl City, shuttling riders along the rail line from Koauka Loop and Wailuna Heights.

She applied to be a bus driver at the age of 35.

“As a single mom, I wanted to go after something that can better me and my children,” said Souza. “At that time, I seen female drivers and so I wanted to challenge [myself].”

Souza says she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.

“I was getting pains on the side over here and I didn’t think it was breast cancer, [but] it was stage 3,” said Souza.

“Eighteen years now, I’m a survivor. So I’ve been through ups and downs throughout my years, but I never gave up,” she said.

Souza has 24 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren, but isn’t quite ready to retire yet.

“The people, my regular riders, all of them were so wonderful,” said Souza. “Each and every one, I got so attached to them on this route and that’s why right now, I’m not ready to go. Not yet.”

Paul Hannigan of Pearl City first met Souza in 2023 and is one of her regular riders.

“I had a few personal things going on. I started talking about my family and well, she started to give me advice,” said Hannigan. “So she became like a very sort of an auntie figure.”

Souza says to smile with aloha and kill it with kindness and take each day as it comes.

“Today is today. Tomorrow is tomorrow when it comes,” Souza said.

In our Holoholo series, Jolanie Martinez takes us across the islands to find hidden gems, fun places, and interesting people. Do you have a hidden gem or story in your town? Let us know about it atholoholo@hawaiinewsnow.com.