Dawn Joao-Harris, who earned her CDL earlier this month, poses with MEO Driver Supervisor Amy Makaiwi, who was Joao-Harris’ CDL trainer through a new MEO program on Moloka`i.
Dawn Joao-Harris became the second Moloka`i resident to earn a Commercial
Driver’s License through an Maui Economic Opportunity training program and
will allow MEO to restore five routes on the island suspended due to a
driver shortage.
Joao-Harris is MEO’s sixth Personal Assistance Technician (PAT) with
another CDL trainee in the pipeline. When that individual completes the
program later this month, MEO Moloka`i will have a full complement of
drivers, which could lead to streamlining schedules and possibly the
addition of routes based on community surveys currently being circulated.
With no other CDL training opportunities on Moloka`i and a demand for bus
drivers, MEO created the in-house program. Driver Supervisor Amy Makaiwi
runs the training program for the CDL, a required qualification for an MEO
bus driver on Moloka`i.
Joao-Harris passed her CDL exam on March 2 and has been training to drive
MEO buses that provide the island’s only mass transit option through a
Human Services transportation contract with the County of Maui.
Born on Oahu but raised on Moloka‘i, Joao-Harris is a graduate of Molokai
High & Intermediate School. After high school, she lived on Kaua‘i and Maui
before settling down in Hilo for 12 years. Joao-Harris made her way back to
Moloka‘i, accepting a position with `Ohana by Hawaiian.
She decided to make Moloka`i her home, even after the airline folded in
2021.
Joao-Harris says she is grateful for the opportunity to give back to the
community that raised her and feels proud and honored to be part of the
team serving her special island.
MEO has a Human Services contract with the County of Maui to provide
transportation in the rural communities of Moloka’i, Lana’i and East Maui.
For more information about transportations services on Molokaʻi, call (808)
553-3218; on Lanaʻi, (808) 565-6665; in Hana, (808) 248-8282; on Maui,
(808) 877-7651.
In addition to the Human Services contract, MEO also operates paratransit
services for the Maui Bus by reservation. Drivers for both Human Service
and paratransit operations are needed on Maui.
If you are interested in becoming a driver, call MEO Human Resources at
(808) 249-2990.