Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services announced Tuesday it was awarded a federal relief grant to maintain essential services impacted by the pandemic.
DTS director Roger Morton says the city's bus system had to significantly change its operations because of the pandemic.
"We implemented a change in service on April 1, 2020. And at that point, what we did was reduced some of our commuter services, our Express bus services," he told HPR.
Morton says TheBus has been operating on a modified Saturday schedule.
But as more restrictions lift and more people use the bus, he says the money will help reinstate former operations.
"We haven't stopped adding additional services or innovations. We'll be looking toward hopefully adding some of our commuter services back."
Morton told HPR the department was surprised the City was awarded the grant. And city officials will be discussing what areas will receive additional funding.
However, Morton says the funds will help offset some costs for the upcoming year — as the anticipated rail line will begin interim service. He adds the money could also be used to offset rising gas prices for the system, which could worsen as global oil prices are affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
