Maui school bus routes and schedules modified

The Department of Education continues to modify Maui school bus routes as its new bus vendor works to recruit more drivers during what the DOE is calling a critical shortage.

The department sent out an advisory Monday, the official start of the new school year, about modified bus schedules for students attending Maui High and Maui Waena Intermediate schools.

Changes for the 16 routes serving the two schools in Kahului include new starting times, and arrival times ranging from 10 minutes earlier to 55 minutes later than previously scheduled. The changes also include adjusted departure times after school for both campuses.

“Due to a lack of available school bus drivers on Maui, bus routes at these schools will be consolidated to adjust to fewer personnel,” Assistant Superintendent Dann Carlson said in the advisory.

“As a result, route times will be modified to accommodate the longer distances and students will see some delays and slightly longer travel times.”

He apologized to families for the “temporary inconvenience” and said routes would be restored as new bus drivers are hired.

To view the modified Maui High and Maui Waena routes, go to 808ne.ws/mauibusroutes.

The department said school administrators will ensure all students affected by the transportation delays have adequate time for school breakfast and are not penalized for tardiness.

Meanwhile, the DOE last week said it would be suspending bus routes serving Lahainaluna and Baldwin high schools and Iao Intermediate due to the driver shortage.

The department initially planned to provide some 400 affected students with bus passes on the county’s Maui Bus until the problem is resolved, but county officials said the public transportation system could not accommodate the students.

Honolulu-based Ground Transport Inc. was awarded seven-year contracts to serve Wailuku, Kahului and Kihei, effective July 1. However, the company remains 15 drivers short of the staffing needed to service the new routes, which were previously held by Roberts ­Hawaii.