DOE restores all suspended school bus routes

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - At the start of the school year, some families on Maui and Kauai that depended on buses to get their students to and from school scrambled to find other accommodations.

That's because the Department of Education announced — just days before the start of the new school year — routes were being temporarily suspended or consolidated because of a lack of CDL certified drivers.

Now, a month and a half in to the school year, the DOE says all temporarily suspended routes have been restored. The most recent routes to be restored service Lahainaluna High, Baldwin High and Iao Intermediate.

"HIDOE and contractor Ground Transport, Inc., have been working diligently to recruit and train new drivers," Derek Inoshita of the DOE said. "HIDOE appreciates the patience shown by our parents, students and staff during this time."

Although all routes have been restored, some are still operating on a consolidated basis, and the driver shortage still persists.

Inoshita says Kauai still needs seven drivers while Maui needs five.

To entice more applicants, contractor Ground Transport Inc. has offered increased wages and signing bonuses.

Interested applicants, with or without a CDL, may contact the Student Transportation Services Branch at (808) 586-0170.

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