The Kauai Bus Explained

The Kauaʻi Bus
Parent:Kauaʻi County
Founded:October 1994
Headquarters:Līhuʻe, Hawaiʻi
Service Area:Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi
Service Type:bus service, paratransit
Routes:9 regular, plus 2 limited service express[1]
Fuel Type:Diesel

The Kauaʻi Bus is the public transportation service of Kauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi. They operate nine regular local bus routes.

History

The forerunner of the Kauaʻi Bus was a fleet of ten buses managed by the County of Kauaʻi's Office of Elderly Affairs to serve the senior population. In 1990, the first four fixed routes were started between Kapaʻa and Līhuʻe, and was expanded island-wide in 1992 with Hurricane Iniki recovery funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.[2]

The Kauaʻi Bus has a central administration, operations, and maintenance facility at 3220 Hoolako Street in Līhuʻe.[2]

Routes

The Kauaʻi Bus operates six fixed routes; five of those run seven days a week. Three of the routes make up the Mainline service, which runs along the perimeter of the island from Kekaha to Hanalei. Two of the Mainline routes (Kekaha–Līhuʻe, primarily aligned with Route 50 and Hanalei–Līhuʻe, primarily aligned with Route 56) connect in Līhuʻe, and the third (Wailua) duplicates Hanalei–Līhuʻe service between Wailua and Līhuʻe, with additional service along Kuamoo Road within Wailua.[2] The Wailua Mainline is not operated on weekends.[2] The other three routes are Shuttle services, which provide local service within their respective communities (Kalāheo/Kōloa/Poipū, Kapaʻa/Kapahi, and Līhuʻe).

The mid-day Līhuʻe Lunch Shuttle (Routes 01–12) was discontinued as of April 11, 2016.[3]

The 2018 Short Range Transit Plan proposed splitting the Līhuʻe Shuttle (Route 70) into two separate routes connecting in downtown Līhuʻe. The revised Līhuʻe Shuttle would operate between Lihue Airport and Hanamāʻulu, and the Puhi Shuttle would operate between Kauai Community College and downtown Līhuʻe.[2] Routes 100E and 150 were discontinued as of October 21, 2018,[4] and the 200E express was discontinued as of January 13, 2019.[5] The October 2018 changes also extended Route 100/200 service (Kekaha – Līhuʻe Mainline) to Līhuʻe Airport and Courthouse, removing those stops from Route 70 (Līhuʻe Shuttle).[4]

No. Name Fare Service Hours Headway
Mainline Routes
100/200Kekaha-LīhuʻeMainline5:15 AM – 9:15 PM / 5:25 AM – 7:25 PM[6] 60 min
400/500Hanalei-LīhuʻeMainline5:15 AM – 9:15 PM / 5:25 AM – 7:25 PM[7] 60 min
800/850Wailua-LīhuʻeMainline6:30, 7:30 AM / 12:30, 4:30, 6:30 PM60–240 min
Shuttle Routes
30KōloaShuttle6:15 AM – 8:15 PM60 min
60KapahiShuttle6:23 AM – 8:23 PM60 min
70LīhuʻeShuttle5:55 AM – 8:55 PM[8] 60 min-Express Routes-->
Discontinued Routes
01-12Līhuʻe Midday ShuttleShuttle10:30 AM – 1:15 PM[9] 15 min
100E/200E Kekaha-Līhuʻe ExpressMainline6:15 AM / 4:45 PM[10]
300/350Kōloa-LīhuʻeMainline6:20 AM – 5:20 PM / 7:45 AM – 5:30 PM[11] 60–240 min
450/550Kapaʻa-LīhuʻeMainline6:03 AM – 6:03 PM / 7:21 AM – 3:21 PM[12] [13] 120 min
450E/550EKapaʻa-Līhuʻe ExpressMainline7:00 AM
Notes

Fares

Regular fares

Fares[14]
Group Mainline Shuttle
General Public$2.00/trip$0.50/trip
Discounted$1.00/trip$0.25/trip
Children 6 and underFree with paying passenger

Passes

DurationRegular Discount
Daily Pass$5.00 $2.50
Monthly Pass$50.00 $25.00
Annual Pass$550.00 $275.00
Notes

Fleet

The Kauaʻi Bus fleet
Type Quantity Capacity Service
Passengers Wheelchairs Mainline Shuttle Paratransit
Bus (30+ passengers)19 31–33 2
Bus (<30 passengers)21 16–23 2–5
Van15 14–19 4–5
Notes

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bus schedules . County of Kaua'i.
  2. Kauaʻi Short-Range Transit Plan: Final Report . Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. . February 2018 . County of Kauaʻi . 19 January 2021.
  3. News: Changes to Kauai bus routes to take effect . April 11, 2016 . Hawaii News Now . 20 January 2021.
  4. Kauaʻi Bus announces route, schedule changes beginning Oct. 21 . October 8, 2018 . The County of Kauaʻi . https://web.archive.org/web/20181025092235/https://www.kauai.gov/Portals/0/Mayor/PIO/NR100818AT.pdf?ver=2018-10-08-073853-073 . October 25, 2018 . dead.
  5. Kauaʻi Bus announces route, schedule changes beginning Jan. 13 . January 8, 2019 . The County of Kauaʻi . 20 January 2021.
  6. Web site: South/West . February 7, 2021 . County of Kauaʻi.
  7. Web site: North/East . February 7, 2021 . County of Kauaʻi.
  8. Web site: Līhuʻe . February 7, 2021 . County of Kauaʻi.
  9. Web site: Lihue Bus Schedule . September 1, 2007 . County of Kauaʻi . https://web.archive.org/web/20071108015854/http://www.kauai.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=D89ydXTclTk%3d&tabid=208&mid=1971 . November 8, 2007 . dead.
  10. Web site: Kekaha - Lihue . July 2016 . County of Kauaʻi . https://web.archive.org/web/20161101202019/http://www.kauai.gov/Portals/0/Transportation/Bus_Schedules/KekahaLihue072016.pdf?ver=2016-07-28-160244-193 . November 1, 2016 . dead.
  11. Web site: Koloa - Lihue Mainline . September 1, 2007 . County of Kauaʻi . https://web.archive.org/web/20071108015854/http://www.kauai.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=2xPmrdJwPKU%3d&tabid=208&mid=1971 . November 8, 2007 . dead.
  12. Web site: Kapaa - Lihue Mainline . September 1, 2007 . County of Kauaʻi . https://web.archive.org/web/20071108015854/http://www.kauai.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=YEsgc%2byRmz0%3d&tabid=208&mid=1971 . November 8, 2007 . dead.
  13. Web site: Hanalei - Lihue . July 2016 . County of Kauaʻi . https://web.archive.org/web/20161101202023/http://www.kauai.gov/Portals/0/Transportation/Hanalei072016.pdf?ver=2016-07-28-160306-897 . November 1, 2016 . dead.
  14. http://www.kauai.gov/BusFares The Kaua'i Bus fares