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

The Kauaʻi Bus
The Kauaʻi Bus at a bus stop.
ParentKauaʻi County
FoundedOctober 1994
HeadquartersLīhuʻe, Hawaiʻi
Service areaKauaʻi County, Hawaiʻi
Service typebus service, paratransit
Routes9 regular, plus 2 limited service express[1]
Fuel typeDiesel
WebsiteOfficial website

History

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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]: 4–1 

The Kauaʻi Bus has a central administration, operations, and maintenance facility at 3220 Hoolako Street in Līhuʻe.[2]: 9–20 

Routes

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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]: 4–4, 4–21  The Wailua Mainline is not operated on weekends.[2]: 4–9  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]: 7–7, 7–8  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[1]
100/200[a] Kekaha-Līhuʻe Mainline 5:15 AM – 9:15 PM / 5:25 AM – 7:25 PM[6] 60 min
400/500[b] Hanalei-Līhuʻe Mainline 5:15 AM – 9:15 PM / 5:25 AM – 7:25 PM[7] 60 min
800/850[c] Wailua-Līhuʻe Mainline 6:30, 7:30 AM / 12:30, 4:30, 6:30 PM[7] 60–240 min[d]
Shuttle Routes[1]
30 Kōloa Shuttle 6:15 AM – 8:15 PM[6] 60 min
60 Kapahi Shuttle 6:23 AM – 8:23 PM[7] 60 min
70 Līhuʻe Shuttle 5:55 AM – 8:55 PM[8] 60 min
Discontinued Routes[1]
01-12 Līhuʻe Midday Shuttle[e] Shuttle 10:30 AM – 1:15 PM[9] 15 min[d]
100E/200E Kekaha-Līhuʻe Express Mainline 6:15 AM / 4:45 PM[10] [d]
300/350 Kōloa-Līhuʻe[f] Mainline 6:20 AM – 5:20 PM / 7:45 AM – 5:30 PM[11] 60–240 min
450/550 Kapaʻa-Līhuʻe[g] Mainline 6:03 AM – 6:03 PM / 7:21 AM – 3:21 PM[12][13] 120 min
450E/550E Kapaʻa-Līhuʻe Express Mainline 7:00 AM[13] [d]
Notes
  1. ^ 100 is inbound to Līhuʻe; 200 is outbound to Kekaha
  2. ^ 400 is inbound to Līhuʻe; 500 is outbound to Hanalei
  3. ^ 800 is inbound to Līhuʻe; 850 is outbound to Wailua / Kapaʻa
  4. ^ a b c d Weekdays only
  5. ^ Numbered sequentially; 01 is the 10:30 AM departure, 02 is 10:45 AM, etc.
  6. ^ 300 is inbound to Līhuʻe; 350 is outbound to Kōloa
  7. ^ 450 is inbound to Līhuʻe; 550 is outbound to Kapaʻa

Fares

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Regular fares

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

Passes

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Duration[14] Regular Discount[a]
Daily Pass $5.00 $2.50
Monthly Pass $50.00 $25.00
Annual Pass $550.00 $275.00
Notes
  1. ^ a b Discounted fares apply to the following groups:
    • Seniors (65+ years)
    • Youth (7–18 years)
    • ADA with Kauaʻi Bus reduced fare identification card

Fleet

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The Kauaʻi Bus fleet[2]: 9–15 
Type Quantity Capacity Service
Passengers Wheelchairs Mainline Shuttle Paratransit
Bus (30+ passengers) 19 31–33 2      
Bus (<30 passengers) 21 16–23 2–5  [a]    
Van 15 14–19 4–5      
Notes
  1. ^ Off-peak hours only

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Bus schedules". County of Kaua'i.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. (February 2018). Kauaʻi Short-Range Transit Plan: Final Report (PDF) (Report). County of Kauaʻi. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Changes to Kauai bus routes to take effect". Hawaii News Now. April 11, 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Kauaʻi Bus announces route, schedule changes beginning Oct. 21" (PDF) (Press release). The County of Kauaʻi. October 8, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 25, 2018.
  5. ^ "Kauaʻi Bus announces route, schedule changes beginning Jan. 13" (PDF) (Press release). The County of Kauaʻi. January 8, 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  6. ^ a b "South/West" (PDF). County of Kauaʻi. February 7, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "North/East" (PDF). County of Kauaʻi. February 7, 2021.
  8. ^ "Līhuʻe" (PDF). County of Kauaʻi. February 7, 2021.
  9. ^ "Lihue Bus Schedule". County of Kauaʻi. September 1, 2007. Archived from the original on November 8, 2007.
  10. ^ "Kekaha - Lihue" (PDF). County of Kauaʻi. July 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 1, 2016.
  11. ^ "Koloa - Lihue Mainline". County of Kauaʻi. September 1, 2007. Archived from the original on November 8, 2007.
  12. ^ "Kapaa - Lihue Mainline". County of Kauaʻi. September 1, 2007. Archived from the original on November 8, 2007.
  13. ^ a b "Hanalei - Lihue" (PDF). County of Kauaʻi. July 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 1, 2016.
  14. ^ a b The Kaua'i Bus fares

See also

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