Maui Bus

{{Short description|Public transit service on the island of Maui, Hawaii}} {{Infobox Bus transit | name = Maui Bus | logo = Maui Bus logo.png | logo_size = 120 | image = MauiBusEZRiderII.JPG | image_size = | image_caption = | company_slogan = | parent = Maui County | founded = | headquarters = Wailuku, Hawaii | locale = | service_area = Maui County, Hawaii | service_type = bus service, paratransit, express bus service | alliance = | routes = 12 regular<ref name=transit>{{cite web |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/609/Maui-Bus-Public-Transit-System |title=Maui Bus Public Transit System |publisher=County of Maui |accessdate=11 January 2021}}</ref><br/>4 commuter<ref name=commuter>{{cite web |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/608/Maui-Bus-Commuter-Service |title=Maui Bus Commuter Service |publisher=County of Maui |accessdate=11 January 2021}}</ref> | destinations = | stops = | hubs = | stations = | lounge = | fleet = | ridership = | fuel_type = Diesel | operator = Roberts Hawaii | ceo = | leader_type = | leader = | website = [http://www.co.maui.hi.us/index.asp?NID=605 Bus Service Information] }} '''Maui Bus''' is the public transportation service of the island of Maui, Hawaii, and is operated by Roberts Hawaii under a public-private partnership with Maui County government. They operate 13 regular local bus routes and 4 commuter routes, which have a single early morning run and a return trip in the afternoon.

==History== The first public transit service on Maui started in 1992 with two loop routes in Central Maui operated by the non-profit organization Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO).<ref name=2005-SRTP>{{cite report |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8298/Short-Range-Transit-Plan |title=Maui County Short Range Transit Plan |date=January 2005 |author=Urbitran |publisher=Maui County Department of Transportation |access-date=13 January 2021}}</ref>{{rp|4}} These were operated over the same route in opposite directions, offered free of charge with a suggested donation.<ref name=2005-SRTP/>{{rp|21}}

The Maui Bus service was started as the '''Holo Ka{{okina}}a''' service in August 2002 with a joint venture between the private company Akina Aloha Tours, MEO, and the county government in a subsidized joint venture to provide bus service for South, West, and Central Maui.<ref>{{citation| last=Bernardo| first=Rosemarie| title=Joint venture to start Maui bus service| date=August 23, 2002| newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin| url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/08/23/news/story4.html| accessdate=2009-08-23}}</ref> Low ridership (blamed on the lack of advertising for the system) led to Akina Aloha Tours losing $1 million over the following two years.<ref>{{citation| last=Kubota| first=Gary T.| title=Maui subsidized bus plan could be out of gas| date=June 15, 2004| newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin| url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/2004/06/15/news/story9.html| accessdate=2009-08-23}}</ref>

Service was reduced in July 2004 to five transit routes: three operated by Roberts Hawaii, one by Akina Aloha Tours (privately financed), and the one bidirectional route by MEO.<ref name=2005-SRTP/>{{rp|4;19}} The Roberts routes were named Routes A, B, and C: Route A operated between Ma{{okina}}alea Harbor Village and the Shops at Wailea via Kihei [which is now Route #15]; Route B connected Kahului to Wharf Cinema Center (in Lahaina) via Ma{{okina}}alea [now Route #20]; and Route C connected the Queen Ka{{okina}}ahumanu Center with the Shops at Wailea [now Route #10].<ref name=2005-SRTP/>{{rp|21}} The MEO routes served Central Maui (Wailuku and Kahului) with a loop route operated in opposite directions [now Routes #1/2 and #5/6].<ref name=2005-SRTP/>{{rp|21}} The Akina Aloha route operated between Ka{{okina}}anapali and Lahaina [now Route #28].<ref name=2005-SRTP/>{{rp|22}}<ref name=2016-SRTP>{{cite report |url=http://mauicounty.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Maui-Short-Range-Transit-Plan.pdf |title=Maui Short Range Transit Plan |author1=SSFM International |author2=Weslin Consulting Services, Inc. |author3=Pacific Cartography |date=April 2016 |publisher=County of Maui |accessdate=11 January 2021}}</ref>{{rp|ES-1}}

The ''Short Range Transit Plan'' (SRTP) published in January 2005 evaluated contemporary demand and service conditions and developed the current fixed routes, including the expansion of service to Upcountry Maui.<ref name=2005-SRTP/>{{rp|58–66}} The 2005 SRTP also developed the branding and logo of Maui Bus,<ref name=2005-SRTP/>{{rp|89–91}} which began operations in 2006; the fixed and commuter routes are operated by Roberts Hawaii, while the paratransit services are operated by MEO.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-1}} Ridership rose sharply over the ten years between 2002 and 2012, from less than 200,000 (annual passengers) to more than 2,500,000.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-2;ES-3}}

===2023 Wildfires=== thumb|Route 29 West Maui Express is a temporary route established to maintain service to West Maui during evacuations in Lahaina due to the 2023 Hawaii wildfires Due to the 2023 Hawaii wildfires, fare collection was suspended from 23 August 2023 until 31 January 2024. Due to evacuations in Lahaina, routes 20, 23, 25, and 28 were discontinued and replaced with a temporary route 29, running express from Kahului to Kaʻanapali (with a stop in Ma'alaea) via the Lahaina bypass before continuing along the former route 28. On 5 November 2023, a stop at Lahiana Cannery Mall was added to route 29, and a modified route 23, providing limited local service in Lahiana, was reintroduced.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bus Service & Schedule Information |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/605/Bus-Service-Schedule-Information |website=Maui County |access-date=31 December 2023}}</ref>

==Service== The current Maui Bus service includes 13 fixed routes,<ref name=transit/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/1310/Maui-Bus-Route-Maps |title=Maui Bus Route Maps |publisher=County of Maui |accessdate=11 January 2021}}</ref> 4 commuter routes,<ref name=commuter/> and a paratransit program that provides curb-to-curb service with advance reservations,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/607/Maui-Bus-ADA-Paratransit-Program |title=Maui Bus ADA Paratransit Program |publisher=County of Maui |accessdate=11 January 2021}}</ref> serving western, central, and southern communities, including Wailuku, Kahului, Lahaina, Haiku, Kula, and Upcountry Maui.

===Fixed routes=== The Central Maui System includes the routes numbered with a single digit.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-5}} The (southern) Kihei Route System includes routes numbered in the 10s.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-13}} The (western) Lahaina, Ka{{okina}}anapali and Napili Route System includes routes numbered in the 20s.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-17}} The Upcountry Route System includes routes numbered in the 30s, including #40.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-18}} On average, 6,500 passengers board the Maui Bus fixed-route system, with an average per-passenger trip cost of $2.47.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|2-9}}

For fixed-route service, Loop services operate within Central Maui, Villager services are routes that circulate within a single community (Lahaina, Kihei, and Kula), and Islander services are longer routes that connect different communities to Central Maui.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|2-2}} Most of the Islander routes connect at a privately owned site at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center shopping mall in Kahului,<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-25}} where transfers can be made to other Islander routes or the local Loop/Villager routes. Other significant transfer and boarding sites include Wharf Cinema Center, Whalers Village, Pi{{okina}}ilani Village Shopping Center, and War Memorial Stadium.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-26}} The War Memorial Stadium site is used as a park-and-ride or drop-off location for three of the four commuter routes.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|2-3}}

Both the Kahului and Wailuku Loops are bidirectionally operated over the same routes: #1 (Wailuku Loop) and #6 (Kahului) operate clockwise, while #2 (Waikluki) and #5 (Kahului) operate counter-clockwise.<ref name=schedule/> Officially, #2 and #6 are the reverse routes.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|2-2}}

{|class="wikitable" |- | colspan=5 style="text-align:center" | frameless|center|upright=4 |- ! colspan="5" | Regular Routes<ref name=transit/><ref name=schedule>{{cite web |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4353 |title=Maui County Bus Schedule |publisher=County of Maui |accessdate=11 January 2021}}</ref> |- !No. !! Name !! Description !! Service Hours !! Headway |- !1/2 | style="background:#2d9fd8;color:#fff" | Wailuku Loop |Kahului-Wailuku (not shown on map) |6:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. || 60 min |- !5/6 | style="background:#f39336;color:#000" | Kahului Loop |Kahului (not shown on map) |6:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. || 60 min |- !8 | style="background:#b7b8b6;color:#000" | Waihe{{okina}}e Villager |Kahului-Waihe{{okina}}e |7:15 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. || 180 min |- !10 | style="background:#9f3464;color:#fff" | Kihei Islander |Kahului-Maalaea-Kihei-Wailea |5:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. || 60 min |- !15 | style="background:#76634b;color:#fff" | Kihei Villager |Maalaea-Kihei |6:05 a.m. – 8:05 p.m. || 60 min |- !20 *SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE* | style="background:#e92d90;color:#fff" | Lahaina Islander |Kahului-Wailuku-Maalaea-Lahaina |5:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. || 60 min |- !23 | style="background:#fcdb26;color:#000" | Lahaina Villager |Lahaina (not shown on map) |8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. || 60 min |- !25 *SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE* | style="background:#00af4a;color:#fff" | Ka{{okina}}anapali Islander |Lahaina-Ka{{okina}}anapali |2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. || 60 min |- !28 *SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE* | style="background:#743e90;color:#fff" | West Maui Islander |Lahaina-Ka{{okina}}anapali-Kapalua |5:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. || 60 min |- !29 | style="background:#743e90;color:#fff" | West Maui Express |Kahului-Lahaina-Ka{{okina}}anapali-Kapalua |5:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. || 60 min |- !35 | style="background:#f14d43;color:#fff" | Haiku Islander |Kahului-Pa{{okina}}ia-Haiku |5:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. || 90 min |- !39 | style="background:#a7cf48;color:#000" | Kula Islander |Pukalani-Kula-Makawao |7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. || 180 min |- !40 | style="background:#6680b8;color:#fff" | Upcountry Islander |Kahului-Pukalani-Makawao-Hali{{okina}}imaile |6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. || 90 min |}

===Commuter routes=== Commuter routes are named for the termini, listed in order of morning origin and destination, respectively. For the afternoon commute, the route is reversed. Three of the four commuter routes meet in Wailuku at War Memorial Stadium. Three of the four bring commuters to the Kapalua/Napili/Ka{{okina}}anapali area in the morning. Only one commuter route operates more than once per day.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|2-3}}

During the COVID-19 pandemic, commuter service was reduced in response to a decrease in ridership.<ref name=commuter/>

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" |- | colspan=6 style="text-align:center" | frameless|center|upright=4 |- ! colspan="6" |Commuter Routes<ref name=commuter/> |- ! rowspan=2 | No. ! rowspan=2 | Name ! Origin (AM) || Destination (AM) ! rowspan=2 | Service Hours !! rowspan=2 | Trips |- ! Destination (PM) || Origin (PM) |- ! 80 | style="background:#80bf4b;color:#000" | Haiku – Wailea | Haiku (Haiku Community Center) || Wailea (Hotels) | 5:30&nbsp;am; 4:30&nbsp;pm || 1 |- ! 81 | style="background:#954ea4;color:#fff" | Kihei – Kapalua | Kihei (Kilohana St & S Kihei Rd) || rowspan=3 | Kapalua / Napili | 6:00&nbsp;am; 4:05&nbsp;pm || 1 |- ! 82 | style="background:#e93d2b;color:#fff" | Makawao – Kapalua | Makawao (Eddie Tam Gym) | 5:30&nbsp;am; 4:05&nbsp;pm || 1 |- ! 83 | style="background:#7ad0f3;color:#000" | Wailuku – Kapalua | Wailuku (War Memorial Stadium) | 5:30–6:45&nbsp;am; 3:05–4:30&nbsp;pm || 4{{efn|15–45 minute headways}}{{efn|One of the afternoon return trips departs from Ka{{okina}}anapali at 4:15&nbsp;pm instead of Kapalua.}} |- |}

;Notes {{notelist}}

===Former and proposed fixed routes=== Neither of the fixed-route loops in Central Maui serve Kahului Airport, and the long headways on the two Upcountry routes that do (#35 and #40) led to the recommendation to add direct service between Wailuku and the airport.<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|4-17;4-24}}

{|class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="5" | Former and Proposed Routes<ref name=2016-SRTP/> |- !No. !! Name !! Description !! Service Hours !! Headway |- !3/4 | Wailuku-Airport |Kahului Airport-Wailuku<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-8;ES-9}} | 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. || 30–60 min{{efn|name=30t60|Shorter headways during peak commute hours}} |- !7 | Wailuku Central |Wailuku<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-9}} | 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. || 30–60 min{{efn|name=30t60}} |- !9 | Maui Business Park |Kahului<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-12}} | 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. || 30–60 min{{efn|name=30t60}} |- !15A | North Kihei Villager |Ma{{okina}}alea–Kihei<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-14}} | 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. || 60 min |- !15B | South Kihei Villager |Kihei<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-16}} | 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. || 60 min |- !23A | Lahaina Villager |Lahianaluna<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-16}} | 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. || 60 min |- !23B | Lahaina Villager |Lahaina Civic Center<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-16}} | 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. || 60 min |- !38 | Pa{{okina}}ia Town-Makawao Villager |Pa{{okina}}ia–Makawao<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|ES-21}} | 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. || 90 min |}

;Notes {{notelist}}

==Fleet== <gallery> File:MauiBusAeroLite.JPG|ElDorado Aero Elite Bus. File:MauiBusfrontalshot.JPG|ElDorado Aero Elite bus </gallery>

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:100%;" |+Active Maui Bus fleet (fixed route service)<ref name=2016-SRTP/>{{rp|2-3}} |- ! Year !! Qty !! class="unsortable" | Image !! Make !! Model !! Capacity !! Lift or Ramp !! Wheelchair Tie-downs !! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2008|| 7 | 120px | rowspan=2 | ElDorado National || rowspan=2 | E-Z Rider II | rowspan=2 | 37 || rowspan=2 | Ramp || rowspan=2 | 4 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |- | 2010|| 5 | 120px | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |- | 2014|| 10 | 120px | ElDorado National || AXESS | 32 || Ramp || 2 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |- | 2015|| 4 | 120px | ElDorado National || Aero Elite | 25 || Lift || 2 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |- | 2019|| 2 | 120px | rowspan=2 | ElDorado National || rowspan=2 | AXESS BRT | 32 || Ramp || 2 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |- | 2020|| 4 | | 32 || Ramp || 2 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;font-size:100%;" |+Retired Maui Bus fleet (fixed route service)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Maui_Bus | title=Maui Bus - CPTDB Wiki }}</ref> |- ! Year !! Qty !! class="unsortable" | Image !! Make !! Model !! Capacity !! Lift or Ramp !! Wheelchair Tie-downs !! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2004 || 1 | | Alexander Dennis || Enviro500 | 81 || Ramp || 2 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |- | 2007|| 6 | 120px | ElDorado National || AXESS | 41 || Ramp || 2 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | Retired in 2020 |- | 2011|| 1 | | ElDorado National || Aero Elite | 25 || Lift || 2 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |- | 2013|| 1 | | ARBOC || Spirit of Mobility | 17 || Ramp || 4 | style="font-size:85%;text-align:left" | |}

==Fares== Cash fares are $2.00 per person per boarding. No transfers are given, but a day pass, at $4.00 per person, is valid on all routes. An all-route monthly pass is available at a cost of $45.00, with reduced rates of $30.00 for students and $25.00 for seniors (defined as 55 and over) and disabled holders of a valid Medicare card.<ref name=transit />

==Facilities== Because the County of Maui uses contracted operators for the Maui Bus service, the County-owned buses are operated and maintained by its contractors and the Maui Department of Transportation does not have a dedicated facility to store, refuel, and maintain the buses.<ref name=Waikapu-Facilities/>{{rp|3;40a}} However, in 2013, the County purchased an undeveloped {{convert|309|acre|adj=on}} site in Waikapu with plans to consolidate existing garage and yard facilities for other County departments with a new bus yard.<ref name=Waikapu-Facilities>{{cite report |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/108696/Waikapu-Facilities-Master-Plan-Addendum-1 |title=Waikapu Facilities Master Plan, Addendum 1 |date=April 2017 |publisher=County of Maui |access-date=14 January 2021}}</ref>{{rp|ii}} The proposed bus yard would be a {{convert|10|acre|adj=on}} parcel at Waikapu, to be operated by a single private contractor, with space to park 100 buses (expandable to 150) and five to ten maintenance bays.<ref name=Waikapu-Facilities/>{{rp|40a;40b}} The site lies east of a proposed extension to Waiale Road, west of Kuihelani Highway.<ref name=Waikapu-Facilities/>{{rp|136}}

The existing fixed-route services use Queen Ka{{okina}}ahumanu Center (QKC) as a hub and transfer point; the privately owned shopping center notified the County of Maui in 2017 that it would not renew its lease and the buses would be forced to vacate the site by 2020.<ref name=MauiNews-2019>{{cite news |url=https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2019/07/early-designs-unveiled-for-kahului-transit-hub/ |title=Early designs unveiled for Kahului transit hub |author=Cerizo, Kehaulani |date=July 22, 2019 |work=The Maui News |access-date=14 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/114250/060_09_CIP_Transportation-Project-Sheet-Report |title=Capital Improvement Program: Central Maui Transit Hub |publisher=County of Maui, Department of Transportation |access-date=14 January 2021}}</ref> Plans are underway to develop a {{convert|0.85|acre|adj=on}} site next to QKC, near the Kahului Public Library at Vevau and School, as the Central Maui Transit Hub.<ref name=MauiNews-2019/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mauicounty.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/26245 |title=Urban Design Review Board, Regular Meeting Minutes |date=July 2, 2019 |publisher=County of Maui |access-date=14 January 2021}}</ref>

MEO operates a transportation facility in Pu{{okina}}unene.<ref name=Waikapu-Facilities/>{{rp|40a}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commonscat|Maui Bus}} *[http://www.co.maui.hi.us/index.asp?NID=605 County of Maui official page] *{{cite web |url=https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Maui_Bus |title=Maui Bus |publisher=Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board Wiki |access-date=12 January 2021}}

{{Hawaii Public Transit}}

Category:2002 establishments in Hawaii Category:Bus transportation in Hawaii Category:Transit agencies in Hawaii Category:Transportation in Maui County, Hawaii