Following a competitive bidding process, MTM Transit is pleased to announce that we have partnered with the County of Hawai’i Mass Transit Agency (MTA) to operate its Hele-On Kako’o Island-Wide Paratransit Services. Under the contract, which went live on January 1, MTM Transit operates every aspect of MTA’s paratransit services program, inclusive of paratransit eligibility assessments, travel training, and actual paratransit service provision.
Hele-On, the County’s public transportation system, offers complementary Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit through its Hele-On Kako’o service. Services are available to individuals with disabilities who are unable to utilize the Hele-On fixed route bus due to their disability. The system is an advanced reservation, origin-to-destination service, with service available in Hilo, Puna, and Kailua-Kona. To support our operation of the system, MTM Transit employs a local staff of 13 teammates, including a Project Manager, a Mobility Specialist, four dispatchers, a Safety Trainer/Road Supervisor, and six Vehicle Operators, who work out of two dedicated offices in Hilo and Kailua-Kona. This new contract adds to MTM Transit’s existing operations in Hawaii, which include performing ADA eligibility assessments at TheHandi-Van Eligibility Center in Honolulu.
“The Hele-On Kako’o service is imperative to help people with disabilities access the Hawai’i County community and lead happy, healthy, and productive lives,” said MTM Transit Regional Vice President Scott Transue. “We’re honored to be MTA’s single, trusted partner for eligibility assessments, travel training, and paratransit operations, and look forward to offering MTA and its passengers world-class innovation and a superior customer experience.”
Chief Operating Office Brian Balogh added, “Our operation with MTA represents an opportunity for MTM Transit to showcase the value of leveraging our eligibility assessment, travel training, and paratransit best practices to maximize program efficiency and control costs. We look forward to a long, successful relationship with the County and its Hele-On Kako’o passengers.”
“The County of Hawai’i Mass Transit Agency is pleased to have a firm like MTM Transit that has professional paratransit experience serving our operations,” stated John Andoh, Mass Transit Administrator and General Manager. “We are looking forward to launching in-person eligibility assessments, travel training, and a volunteer driver program, as it provides additional mobility options for our island residents in need of mobility-based services”.
About Hele-On
Hele-On is a service of the County of Hawai’i Mass Transit Agency and provides countywide public transit services on 24 fixed and flex routes countywide, Hele-On Kako’o for ADA complementary paratransit service in Hilo, Kailua-Kona and Puna, a shared ride taxi program with three taxi companies in Hilo, Hele-On Ka Hookele rural transportation service in partnership with Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council (HCEOC), a vanpool program in partnership with Commute with Enterprise and 10 HIBike bikeshare stations in Hilo and Kailua-Kona in partnership with PATH. Hele-On transports approximately 588,000 passenger trips a year on a fleet of more than 30 buses, vans, and a trolley. Transit services are provided under contract with Roberts Hawai’i, taxicab companies, MTM Transit, HCEOC, Enterprise Holdings and PATH. To learn more about Hele-On services, please visit www.heleonbus.org, or call 808.961.8744, option 2, TTD/TTY: 711 for the hearing impaired.
