DOE, county seek solutions to school bus crisis

An elementary school principal whose school is one of those impacted by what the state Department of Education says is a shortage of bus drivers said suspension of service to all public schools in the Hilo-Waiakea and Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Areas is “an inconvenience all the way around.”

“I really don’t know how it happened, but we just have to deal with it,” Dennis O’Brien, principal of Ernest Bowen deSilva Elementary School, said Friday. “We sent out a letter to all our parents that details the situation and how they can tap into that reimbursement for mileage while the bus is inoperable. We hope this thing is resolved really quick.

“We have about 25 students who ride the bus, so that will definitely impact them. For the larger schools, this will definitely have a large impact on them, as far as attendance goes. We hope it’s only going to go on a couple of days or so. But right now, we don’t know for sure.”

The DOE issued a press release in Thursday evening saying the two East Hawaii complex areas are impacted because the contracted bus provider didn’t have sufficient drivers to cover the routes. That news came just four days before the start of the school year for students, which is Monday.

According to the DOE, there are 29 routes and 396 registered students affected in the Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area. In the Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area, there are 23 routes and 917 registered students affected.

Kelcy Koga, principal of Waiakea High School, said neither schools nor parents got advance notice of the driver shortage or the suspended bus routes.

“When the press release came out, that’s when everybody found out about it …,” Koga said. “We’ve had some calls from parents who are concerned. I think for them, the first couple of weeks is not so much of a problem. But as we go deeper into the school year, if it becomes a recurring problem, then that will be something that the department’s going to have to do something about.

“We don’t have that many students that ride the bus. I’m going to say, ballpark, around 15%, a little over 100.”

According to Koga, Waiakea High has enrollment of about 1,200 students.

High school students at East Hawaii schools are able to use the Hele-On county bus system for free with no pass needed. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/HIDOE-EXPRESS.

Mileage reimbursement applications also will be available for parents and guardians who drive their students to and/or from the impacted schools.

Mayor Mitch Roth said in a Friday press release he and the county’s Mass Transit Agency are working with the DOE to help mitigate the effects of the driver shortage. This includes identifying Hele-On routes that will temporarily accommodate students, as well as an urgent appeal for Commercial Driver’s License holders.

According to Roth, additional stops may be added to existing Hele-On routes to ensure safe and reliable transit to and from public schools. In the short term, public transportation routes might be adjusted to prioritize student access. The county has designated specific routes where students can utilize the Hele-On Bus system at no cost during school commute hours.

“Our keiki deserve consistent and dependable transportation to and from school,” said Roth. “… We are calling on our community, especially those with CDL licenses, to step forward and help ensure that no child is left without a ride to school.”

Koga said there are Hele-On stops on both sides of Kawili Street, fronting Waiakea High and the University of Hawaii at Hilo, to serve students living in both directions from the school.

“Some of our students catch that, and they can get on free if they show any proof of enrollment at the high school,” he said. “Even if it comes a little after school starts, that won’t be an issue with the students being marked tardy or having it used against them.”

According to the DOE, 55 drivers are needed to restore full bus service to East Hawaii schools. The department said it will continue to work with school bus contractors to restore bus routes and will notify families when routes are restored.

The DOE said the late notice to those most affected — the students and their parents and guardians — is because of late notification by the bus contractor that it had an insufficient number of drivers for the assigned routes.

“Given the uncertainty, the department chose to temporarily suspend the bus routes so families could make alternative transportation arrangements,” DOE spokeswoman Nanea Ching said in a Friday email.

Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi said Friday he recognizes “the challenge and hardship this creates for parents and schools.”

“Getting all of our students to school each day is a very high priority, and we are working to restore service as soon as possible,” Hayashi said in the mayor’s press release, adding he appreciates Roth and the county “mobilizing quickly to provide support and solutions to provide alternate transportation and recruit qualified drivers.”

In addition, Gov. Josh Green on Friday signed an emergency proclamation aimed at bolstering school bus services to help public school children get to and from school.

According to Green, the proclamation provides flexibility for the DOE to find interim solutions for the impacted routes.

The state and its contractors are concurrently exploring subsidizing CDL training programs for residents interested in becoming school bus drivers and enhancing recruitment efforts locally.

Individuals with a current CDL license who are interested in becoming school bus drivers are encouraged to contact the DOE for more information on how to apply. The mayor’s release said Ground Transport Inc. is offering competitive compensation and benefits to attract qualified candidates.

According to Ground Transportation Inc.’s Facebook page, it’s offering $32 an hour and a $3,000 hiring incentive for CDL bus drivers. Those interested can call (808) 966-4800 or email jobs@groundtransportinc.com.

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.