In response to ongoing transportation challenges, the state Department of Education is implementing proactive measures to minimize disruptions and expand options for the upcoming 2025-26 school year — an early move, compared with last school year.
Less than a week into the 2024-25 school year, the DOE announced the suspension of 108 school bus routes, affecting nearly 2,900 students statewide due to a severe shortage of school bus
drivers.
DOE officials said Tuesday during a media briefing that its EXPRESS program, which provides free county bus passes to qualifying
students, will be expanded to include middle and
intermediate school students beginning Aug. 1. High school students will remain eligible.
Student Transportation Services Administrator Megan Omura emphasized that the program is optional.
“It’s always an option, so it’s up to their parents to have the discussion with their students,” she said. “If they feel that they’re responsible enough to sign up for this and self-manage themselves on the city or county bus, they should absolutely sign up.”
Students must meet existing distance requirements to qualify — at least 1 mile from school for elementary students and 1.5 miles for secondary students. Applications will open July 14.
To further expand options, a new carpool pilot program will launch in two school complexes — Mililani in Central Oahu and Kekaulike in Upcountry Maui — and is expected to begin in August with the start of classes. More information on the carpool program will be available to families in the upcoming months.
The program will provide support and resources to help families connect with others in their area to share school drop-off and pickup responsibilities.
“This carpool pilot is actually something brand new,” Omura said, explaining that the department is funding the digital platform that will help families coordinate
carpooling, walking groups or bike-sharing routines.
Unlike EXPRESS, this program doesn’t involve public
transit, but focuses on
peer-to-peer coordination among registered guardians.
Safety is a key focus.
Omura said the Attorney General’s Office conducted an “extensive agreement review,” and parents must sign liability waivers before
participating.
“These are not just random people, either,” she said. “They’re only contacting parents that are registered, and guardians of the students that are attending these schools.”
While the program won’t offer gas reimbursements, Omura said the department is covering the cost of the platform itself as part of its broader goal to assist families who don’t currently use DOE transportation services.
“There’s a big community of families that opt to drive their students or walk with their students to school
every day,” she said.
State schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi highlighted progress made since the fall, noting that service has been restored for nearly 3,500 students following widespread suspensions at the start of the current school year.
“We’re taking early, proactive steps to try to minimize disruptions and expand options,” he said.
As of this spring semester, 125 of the 138 suspended routes have been reinstated. Contractors are continuing targeted hiring efforts — including sign-on bonuses, wage increases and enhanced benefits — to restore the remaining 13 routes.
Ground Transportation Inc. — DOE’s school bus contractor for routes on Oahu, Maui and East Hawaii island — had put up job listings with a starting pay of $35 an hour on top of a $3,000 hiring incentive for CDL school bus drivers. Roberts Hawaii School Bus, which services routes on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and West Hawaii island, has school bus driver postings that list starting pay of $34 to $36 an hour and a $1,000 sign-on bonus.
“This school year, our contractors have hired 125 drivers for the first time,” Hayashi said, calling it a collaborative effort with bus companies, county officials and the governor’s office. “While driver shortages continue to be a challenge across the country, we’re committed to doing
everything we can to ensure a smooth start to the school year.”
The department will also continue prioritizing service for elementary students and students receiving curb-to-curb special-education transportation.
“We don’t foresee any changes there,” Omura said, though she acknowledged the situation could shift if drivers leave their positions. “We just want to remind
families that if your student is receiving curb-to-curb services or is at elementary (school), those student services will be prioritized.”
Omura described the current school year as particularly challenging due to the start of a new transportation contract cycle — the first in nearly a decade.
“It’s pretty much like opening up a brand new business in a brand new area,” she said. “And I don’t think any of us foresaw just how difficult it was going to be.”
With those contracts now established for the next eight to nine years, Omura said the department expects greater stability going
forward.
Still, gaps remain.
Omura noted that while services have nearly returned to pre-suspension levels, restoring full
pre-COVID-19 coverage would require about 100 more drivers. The most acute shortages are in Maui and East Hawaii island, where long distances and limited route flexibility pose unique obstacles.
To accelerate hiring, the state continues to leverage an emergency proclamation from Gov. Josh Green that temporarily allows certain commercial drivers to bypass normal requirements. The proclamation is set to expire May 20 but could be extended or replaced by pending legislation.
Families are encouraged to stay informed through their schools and the HIDOE website as summer planning and hiring efforts continue. Applications for school bus service for school year 2025-26 open July 14. More information is available at hawaiipublicschools.org.
