Weekday service on TheBus will move to a state holiday schedule effective Wednesday, while Saturday and Sunday schedules will remain unchanged.

In announcing the bus service cutbacks Friday, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said he considers TheBus and TheHandi-Van to be core services but that the city would be “right-sizing” them to adapt to a drop in ridership while still providing transportation where necessary for essential workers.

Ridership has dropped from about 200,000 a day to 69,000 a day, a 65% decline, according to city officials.

“We see fewer and fewer people on our buses and, of course, it’s creating stress on the system because we’re going everywhere with very few people riding the buses at any given time,” said Caldwell. “You can tell it just by looking out on our streets.”

Roger Morton, president and general manager of Oahu Transit Services, asked the public to use TheBus for essential trips only.

Some new measures have been implemented to maintain social distancing while riding public transportation.

For instance, a red line has been established to help passengers maintain 6 feet of distance from the bus driver, and seats immediately behind the driver have been put out of service. Drivers also may wear face masks.

Morton said in addition to the enhanced, nightly disinfection of “high touch” points in the bus fleet that has been in place since Jan. 29, TheBus will start a new cleaning process using a spray that covers all surfaces, which may leave a lingering chlorine smell similar to that of a swimming pool.

The reduced level of service should still cover transportation needs while giving riders more space to practice social distancing, he said.

“On April 1, we will still provide 85% of all scheduled trips,” said Morton. “We believe this level of service will provide more than adequate service and also allow social distancing to be practiced on TheBus and vans.”

TheHandi-Van, which experienced a 67% drop in ridership, from about 4,200 to 1,400 trips per day, will continue to operate.

Prior to the first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Hawaii earlier this month, officials had announced the enhanced cleaning procedures and requested that anyone feeling sick not take TheBus. Since then, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases ballooned from one on March 6 to 120 as of Friday.

Morton acknowledged that one employee of Oahu Transit Services tested positive for COVID-19 but never operated a bus, while another tested negative.

Currently, a total of 11 bus operators have been grounded as they await results from COVID-19 tests, while 37 others who returned from trips to the U.S. mainland will need to wait 14 days before they can drive again.

Other changes include the closure of the bus pass office at Kalihi on Monday. City officials said monthly bus passes for April will be honored for both April and May.

Some routes have been added to fill in areas that do not operate on state holidays and others will be modified, officials said. Two stops at Ala Moana Center — at Kona Street and Mahukona Street — have been deactivated until further notice.

TheBus’s state holiday schedule for weekdays will remain in place until further notice.

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THEBUS CHANGES

Starting April 1, TheBus will operate weekdays on a state holiday schedule. Visit thebus.org or call 848-5555 for the updated schedule. To schedule a Handi-Van ride, call 456-5555.

These routes will not operate on weekdays:

>> Route 1L – Kalihi-Hawaii Kai (limited stops)

>> Route 2L – School Street-Wakiki (limited stops)

>> Routes 83, 84, 84A , 85, 86, 87, 90 – Trips will not operate to/from UH-Manoa. Riders may use routes A/4/6/13/18.

These routes do not operate on a state holiday schedule, but will operate weekdays:

>> Route 16 – Moanalua Valley-Kalihi

>> Route 99 – Kapolei-Central O‘ahu Express

>> Route 234 – Kahala Mall-Waialae Nui

>> Route 235 – Kahala Mall-Waialae Iki

Modified routes

>> Route 1 – Will service Hahaione Valley eastbound only, replacing Route 1L service.

>> Route 52/72 – Route 52 will provide later trips to Whitmore Village.

>> Route 73 – Midday service added to service Kuala Street and Leeward Community College.

>> Route 80A – Non-instructional day service will run; one trip in the a.m., one in the p.m.

>> Route 93 – Two trips added at 3:45 a.m. and 4 a.m.

>> Route W1 – Two trips added at 5:15 a.m. and 5:35 a.m.

Source: TheBus