KAHULUI » Maui County increased the size of its bus fleet to 35 with the addition of two bigger buses to help meet a larger demand in ridership.

With the county now logging more than 6,000 boardings per day, “;It is not uncommon for smaller 25-passenger buses to experience overloading,”; said Don Medeiros, director of the Maui Department of Transportation. “;So this will go a long way to allow people to be able to sit when they ride the bus.”;

Ridership rose 68 percent in fiscal year 2008 over fiscal 2007 and is up 10 percent in the first three months of this year compared to the same period last year, county transportation officials said.

County projections has Maui on track to record more than 2 million boardings this year.

The new buses have seating for 37 riders with four wheelchair stations per bus, racks that can accommodate two bicycles, and a set of six security cameras on board.

The 2009 El Dorado National EZ-Rider II Diesel buses were purchased from a manufacturer in Riverside, Calif., for $394,299 each. Eighty percent of the funding, or $588,598, came from the federal government, with the remaining $200,000 funded by the county.

Fares are $1 per ride but there is no charge for service on the Kahului and Wailuku loops and the Lahaina Villager. Monthly passes are $35 or $30 for students and seniors.