Bus company closure
hurts Big Isle schools

The state rushes to find replacement
service for students on 44 routes

Affected schools
Fire closes Waiakea High

---

By Erika Engle
eengle@starbulletin.com

Students on 44 of the Big Island's roughly 100 public school bus routes may have to find another way to go back to school tomorrow.

V. Bragado Bus Service, which provides the buses and drivers, is shutting down, leaving state officials scrambling to make transportation arrangements for up to 1,680 mainstream and 23 special education students.

Jon Bragado, treasurer of the company his grandfather founded in 1969, filed a one-sentence notice with the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations last week, saying his company is going out of business.

The company said it had notified the Department of Education early this month.

"We just received notification that they are unable to meet contract requirements," said Cynthia Kawachi, acting student transportation services manager for the state Department of Education.

Kawachi was on vacation last week, but said affected schools have now been notified and advised that children may arrive early or late. "We are doing our best to ensure transportation for as many students as possible," she said.

Bragado routes were scattered islandwide, including in Waimea and North Hilo.

"From what I have been told, they have sold their inventory of school buses to Roberts Hawaii, but they still have contract issues that need to be reviewed and a decision made, so we're having the Attorney General's office look at it," Kawachi said.

The DOE received correspondence from Roberts indicating it would take over the routes, but at a higher rate than had been paid to Bragado.

The Roberts letter and portions of the contract were forwarded to the Attorney General's Office for review, Kawachi said.

"So we are basically in limbo waiting for a response from the AG's office," she said.

The Attorney General's Office did not return calls.

Kauai-based Akita Enterprises covers some bus routes in West Hawaii. Akita officials told the DOE the company would be able to cover five routes in addition to the 35 it will service beginning tomorrow, Controller Josie Aurelio said.

"As of now we are awaiting word from the state," she said.

Roberts School Bus spokeswoman Sam Shenkus confirmed that the company received a faxed request from the DOE Aug. 13 requesting emergency service to cover the Bragado routes and expressing a need for a bid by Aug. 15.

As of 4:30 p.m. yesterday, Roberts had not received a response from the DOE. Her company submitted a fair bid, she said.

"This is a short-term educational transportation emergency," she said. "The cost reflects the actual cost and risk to Roberts."

Denise Kalawa, of Waimea, has children who would be Bragado bus riders, along with others attending Waimea Elementary and Waimea Middle Schools. She had not been notified buses may not be running tomorrow.

"I'm going to take them if there's nothing," she said, "but good notice for the people who work."

Dual-income families often depend on the bus to deliver children to school, since many parents work in distant Waikoloa and must leave for work before children are allowed to be dropped off at school.

There is no public high school in Waimea, so students must be transported to Honokaa, also distant.

The transportation challenge many parents may face follows the difficult business decision for the family-run bus service.

The company could no longer afford to post a performance bond, said Elroy Bragado, vice president of the company.

"We decided, rather than risk everything that we had, and I guess you know, times are not that good, it was not worth the risk anymore," he said.

The company's 50 employees were to be offered employment at Roberts, Akita and Yamaguchi, Bragado said.

Bragado Trucking Inc., a separate general cargo company which shares the same officers, is not large enough to absorb the bus drivers, Bragado said.

Bragado confirmed the sale of 42 school buses and two vans to Roberts this month, but would not disclose the sale price.

BACK TO TOP
|

Schools served by Bragado Bus Service: >> Kanu o ka aina Charter School >> Kohala High School, Intermediate and Elementary >> Waimea Middle School and Elementary >> Waikoloa Elementary >> Honokaa High School, Intermediate and Elementary >> Paauilo Intermediate and Elementary >> Kalanianaole Intermediate and Elementary >> Hilo High School and Intermediate >> Waiakea Intermediate >> Pahoa High School, Intermediate and Elementary >> Keonepoko Elementary >> Hawaiian Academy of Arts and Science >> Pahala Elementary >> Kau High School and Intermediate >> Naalehu Intermediate and Elementary