The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) has launched a pilot program with the four counties to expand subsidized county bus passes for high school students. The pilot program called EXPRESS, which stands for Expanding Ridership to Educate Students in Schools - aims to help reduce the impacts of the school bus driver shortage.
Through this program, current HIDOE high school students can sign up for a county bus pass at no cost. Applications will be available online at https://iportal.k12.hi.us/express starting today, September 12, 2022, through May 26, 2023, the last day of school for students.
Students who are currently ineligible for transportation services because they live too close to their school campus will now be eligible for services under the EXPRESS program. The goal of this program is to increase overall high school student ridership on county bus services so that underutilized school buses can be reassigned to restore canceled and consolidated routes.
Approved applicants will receive their county bus pass directly through their school over the next few weeks. Student riders will receive one county pass that will be valid through July 2023. Students who have already paid for a second quarter pass or bus coupons may request a refund after receiving their county bus pass.
Please note that parents will be responsible for locating the nearest county bus route to and from their child’s school, and for finding the safest walking routes to and from the nearest bus stops. For public transportation safety resources, tips, and frequently asked questions, please visit our website at https://hawaiipublicschools.org.
Read the parent letter from Superintendent Hayashi for more details.