Maui Economic Opportunity’s once-a-week Lana‘i Shopping Shuttle to Maui, which has been suspended since the Aug. 8 wildfires, will resume Tuesday, Oct. 3, with a few changes.
MEO Lana‘i will transport residents to Manele Small Boat Harbor for an 8:30 a.m. departure to Ma‘alaea Small Boat Harbor on the expeditions Ferry. MEO Maui buses are scheduled to pick up Lana‘i residents at 9:15 a.m. and take them to Walmart, Costco, The Maui Mall and Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center. Some transfers will be allowed between destinations.
The group will be returned to Ma‘alaea harbor at 2:45 p.m. for a 3:30 p.m. ferry departure. MEO Lana‘i will pick up residents at Manele harbor and transport them home.
The shopping shuttle is limited to 10 residents with priority given to kupuna.
Prior to the Lahaina wildfire, the shopping shuttle arrived at the Lahaina Small Boat Harbor with the group taken to the Lahaina Gateway, the Lahaina Cannery Mall, Tamura’s Fine Wine & Liquors and Island Grocery Depot.
In addition to the severe damage to Lahaina harbor, Expeditions lost its offices, records, backup parts and access to reserve vessels, the ferry website says.
The Lana‘i shuttle is the brainchild of former Council Member Riki Hokama, who held the Lanai residency seat. He recognized that shopping on the island was expensive and asked MEO to provide more opportunities for residents to access the shopping shuttle program. About five years ago, he secured $10,000 for the free service, which mostly goes to defray the ferry ticket costs. MEO utilizes its Human Services transportation grant.
For more information, contact MEO’s Lana‘i Branch at (808) 565-6665.
MEO Human Services buses, shown at the MEO Transportation Baseyard in Puunene, will be transporting Lana‘i Shopping Shuttle passengers to and from the Manele and Ma‘alaea Small Boat Harbors beginning Oct. 3. The once weekly service had been suspended since the wildfires Aug. 8.
