On this special May 31, 2021 Memorial Day Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast, Aloha Bruce is talking about the Hawaii Car Rental shortage and exorbitant pricing throughout the Hawaiian Islands, and possible alternatives for transportation during your Hawaii vacation.
Bruce notes the lifting of Hawaii’s outdoor mask mandate, and he expects other restrictions to be lifted soon. He mentions problems people have had regarding COVID-19 testing and reminds visitors to get travel insurance in the event that plans have to be changed or canceled and rescheduled.
“It is driving me nuts what is going on here with this Hawaii car rental shortage!” Bruce exclaims. He mentions a client who asked about public transportation. There is public transportation on all islands, and Bruce gets into details about how to take advantage of it.
Oahu’s public transportation system, “TheBus”, is ranked among the best in the United States. Bruce says you can get “just about anywhere” on Oahu, noting that many routes go through the Ala Moana Shopping Center hub. Bruce mentions several route numbers that take passengers to major attractions around Oahu, and the information is readily available online.
Bruce moves on to discuss Maui’s public bus system that serves Lahaina, the Lahaina Villager, and the Lahaina Islander and offers details about the routes. He also mentions routes that have been closed and that he hopes will reopen soon. The Queen Kaahumanu Center is a hub for many Maui routes, including one for Upcountry Maui.
The Big Island routes are more complicated, but Bruce mentions a Kohala Coast route and Kona Coast route. “You gotta be patient,” Bruce says.
Kauai’s bus routes are noted, and Bruce says that there are only six on the island. Bruce says that more bus routes should be added in the future.
Car rental prices will remain very high through the summer, and Bruce encourages listeners to reach out to Hawaii Aloha Travel to work out your transportation needs and the Hawaii car rental shortage, solutions, and costs. “That’s what we’re here for!”