Hawaiʻi County's Hele-On bus service will not operate on Jan. 21 because of mandatory Americans with Disabilities Act training for all staff.
Alternative transportation will be available via taxis or ride sharing companies. A list of taxi providers can be found at heleonbus.org.
The County of Hawaiʻi’s Mass Transit Agency employees and contractors are required to complete ADA training annually.
Regular transit service will resume at 3:15 a.m. on Jan. 22.
The training is part of a 2021 settlement agreement between the County and the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Justice Department found that the county failed to accommodate passengers with disabilities.
The county frequently deployed buses with inoperable lifts, and drivers did not immediately report they were out of order.
Under the agreement, Hawai‘i County must ensure that passengers with disabilities have lifts to board buses. Other requirements include accessible bus stops and timely pick-ups and drop-offs for paratransit users.
