Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, June 21, 2022

HELE-ON HOLA HOA VANPOOL LAUNCHES TO CARRY PEOPLE TO AND FROM WORK. County of Hawai'i announced its new Vanpool program on Tuesday, to subsidize 30 vans at $500 a month. The service is provided by Commute with Enterprise and Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network. Four to 15 commuters who live near one another team up to vanpool. In some cases the employer with enough workers in an area will organize and pay for the costs or share the costs with workers.

"The average driver spends about $600 a month on fuel and vehicle expenses, whereas the average vanpool rider spends about $80 to $150 a month, based on seven passengers contributing to the cost," said John Andoh, Mass Transit Administrator & General Manager of Hele-On. "By joining a vanpool, you can avoid commuting's wear and tear on your vehicle and save money on transportation by splitting the cost with fellow riders."

John Andoh, manager of Hele-on and Mass Transit Administrator for Hawai'i County.

  Potential destinations that Hele-On Vanpool could target are work places that have companies with large commuter populations. Such companies in Kaʻū include those in the macadamia and coffee industries.

    The statement from the county says, "The Enterprise team works with organizational leaders to create commuting solutions that improve recruiting, retention, and employee engagement, while driving productivity, lowering infrastructure costs, and reducing environmental impact. Furthermore, vanpooling further reduces annual transportation expenses through the use of volunteer drivers – which is much more cost-efficient than hiring paid drivers."

    The vanpool pricing does not include gasoline (pre-loaded fuel cards are provided for each vanpool), van washing, or taxes. Those prices vary, and the costs are shared between vanpool riders or the company sponsoring the vanpool. Companies and employees can also pursue pre-tax benefits through the IRS to subsidize a portion of the costs.

    According to Hele-On, Vanpool is meant to be a service that will help determine the implementation of future bus routes if demand is present. 

AFTER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE HAWAI'I POLICE DEPARTMENT, CHIEF PAUL FERREIRA RETIRES on Sept. 1. HPD made the announcement on Monday. “I informed the Hawai'i Police Commission and Mayor Roth on Friday that I submitted my application to the State Employee’s Retirements System to be effective Sept 1, 2022,” said Ferreira. “It has been an honor and privilege to serve as the Police Chief since December 2016 in what I know to be the finest police department in the nation, primarily because it is staffed with the finest men and women in Hawai'i,” said the Chief in an internal memo to staff.

Police Chief Paul Ferreira retires Sept. 1 and the county Police  Commission will conduct the selection process for the new Chief. Photo from HPD

     Ferreira stated, “There are no words that can truly express how thankful I am for all of the support and hard work from each of you that make the Hawai`i Police Department the great organization it is today. Although not always apparent, all your endeavors in making Hawai`i Island a safe place to live are appreciated by the community, as not a day goes by that I do not receive a compliment from someone in the community who appreciates all that our employees do.”
     The Chief joined the department in July 1982 starting his career as a patrol officer. He became a detective. Ferreira held several positions in the Administrative Bureau, including Assistant Chief, and was named Deputy Chief by Chief Harry Kubojiri in December 2008. Ferreira served as Deputy Chief until December 2016, when he was selected by the Police Commission to serve as Police Chief.
    Ferreira explained that HPD is not involved in the process of selecting the next Chief. All questions regarding the selection process for Police Chief should be directed to the Hawai`i County Police Commission. Call 808-932-2950.

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To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar. See latest print edition at www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.