Hele-On

[Thomasw]

Hele-On is a struggling transit agency on the Island of Hawaii with a very limited an outdated wiki.

I have spent the last few days (which I should have been studying for exams) building a fleet for Hele-On on a Google Docs here

If you have anything to add feel free to tell me. PICTURES ARE GREAT!!!!

I shall update the wiki with my findings before the end of June.

[Rotidua]

Once again, major kudos to you for uncovering information about the city bus fleets on the neighbor islands. It's a dream for me to go to the Big Island, but one of my worries of being there is being stranded in the middle of nowhere with limited bus service. 

I dug into their heavy duty fleet with the provided info. Their 2000 model Gillig Phantom Suburbans are 40-footers (designation D) equipped with the Detroit Diesel Series 50 (designation 20), which is either with an original or an EGR system. Their 2005 model Gillig Phantom Suburbans are 37-footers (designation C) equipped with Cummins ISL with EPA 2004 certification (designation 29). Since you didn't provide a VIN on the 2007 Gillig Phantom Suburbans, I'm not too sure if it is still a 37-footer, or if it bounced back up to being a 40-footer, or what their engines are. Everything else after that is up towards speculation on what their transmissions are. 

Their 2010 model MCI D4000CLs have the Cummins ISM with EPA 2007 certification, rated at 410 hp. Lastly, their 2014 model ElDorado XHFs are 36-footers (designation E, conventional flooring) equipped with the Cummins ISL9 with a possible EPA 2013 certification (designation CL). With no VINs listed for the 2013, 2014, and 2015 model MCIs, I can only imagine them being equipped with the Cummins ISX11.9. Once again, their transmissions are unknown. 

As for their historic fleet, I did recall seeing a photo of an ex-OTS 1993 TMC RTS-08 40-footer, rebranded with the Hele-On logo and maintaining the same OTS livery. It was posted by the NorCalBusFans group on their J-Album gallery, but said gallery expired along with all of the pictures. In addition, they didn't reupload those photos of interest to their Flickr account as of yet. 

[Thomasw]

On 7/3/2019 at 2:04 AM, Rotidua said:

As for their historic fleet, I did recall seeing a photo of an ex-OTS 1993 TMC RTS-08 40-footer, rebranded with the Hele-On logo and maintaining the same OTS livery. It was posted by the NorCalBusFans group on their J-Album gallery, but said gallery expired along with all of the pictures. In addition, they didn't reupload those photos of interest to their Flickr account as of yet. 

I did a bunch more research and found this image of the Roberts Hawaii bus yard in Hilo with ex. The Bus 221, 223, 224, 225, 227 and 228. These may be the buses your talking about. I will get around to editing the wiki shortly (the next few days)

[Rotidua]

5 hours ago, Thomasw said:

I did a bunch more research and found this image of the Roberts Hawaii bus yard in Hilo with ex. The Bus 221, 223, 224 and 228. These may be the buses your talking about. I will get around to editing the wiki shortly (the next few days)

Sweet mother of mercy. 

It'd be a miracle if those are still there 9 years after the street photo upload date. Great work. 

[Thomasw]

4 hours ago, Rotidua said:

Sweet mother of mercy. 

It'd be a miracle if those are still there 9 years after the street photo upload date. Great work. 

The street photo at that location only went till 2011 for some reason but they were there in 2011 except for the fact that there is now a big wall separating the yard from the road.

[kainoa3]

Please let us know if they’re still there. That would be the find of the decade. 

[Thomasw]

On 11/6/2019 at 9:49 AM, kainoa3 said:

Please let us know if they’re still there. That would be the find of the decade. 

I dont actually live on the island in fact I dont even live close to there. I live in Canada though I have found an interested in Hawaiian transit and motorcoach operators (hence why ive dedicated so much of my time to researching them).

[Seashore_518203]

Your document listing is good but it is missing a number of buses that are listed on the CPTDB Wiki. Here are a number of photos of buses I took on April 13, 2012. Many of these buses are not shown in your listing.

Bus 407 also exists and is not shown on your listing.

[Thomasw]

3 minutes ago, Seashore_518203 said:

Your document listing is good but it is missing a number of buses that are listed on the CPTDB Wiki. Here are a number of photos of buses I took on April 13, 2012. Many of these buses are not shown in your listing.

=303

=309

=This is on my document

=I didnt put these on my doc because the wiki had all the info about them already

=I just found out they had these buses a couple of days ago, scroll up

=on my doc

=on my doc

My doc was only a resource I used to put all my info in, then i put it in the wiki.

[Thomasw]

I have added the RTSs to the wiki page:

Thank you to everyone that has helped me gather all the necessary information.

Now onto another mystery:

Look what I found here

There is no information about it so once again I am reaching out and looking for some help.

[3we]

Hele-on has selected Roberts Hawaii to operate a fleet of hydrogen-powered buses. The first bus, a 2014 Aero Elite, was donated by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute in 2019 and converted to hydrogen by US Hybrid. It will run on routes 202, 203, and 204 shortly. It will also receive two hydrogen-powered 2012 Aero Elites from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which are being upgraded with same propulsion unit that the 2014 bus has.

There apparently three more buses in the mix, for which I don't have details.

[Joshuamumble]

According to Hele-On's Facebook page:

8 ex-Honolulu Gillig Phantoms were delivered over the summer and repainted into their current livery- these have been numbered as 2xx; they recently ordered 4 MCI D4500CTs which are numbered 614-617, which are in the process of delivery (the former Honolulu buses still have flip dot displays)

In addition, Hele-On is zero-fare until 2025

Photos are from their Facebook and credit is given to the owner:

[3we]

Today in Hilo I saw a BYD K11M in front of Wal-Mart (probably Route 40 or Red Line). Looked like a demonstrator - roster number was "10" in press-on mailbox numbers.

[Seashore_518203]

On 11/19/2019 at 11:50 PM, Thomasw said:

Now onto another mystery:

Look what I found here

There is no information about it so once again I am reaching out and looking for some help.

Sorry for the late reply. I was reading about the BYD demo in Hilo and saw this old post.

The bus in the photo is a Trans Coach. Buses 110 and 111 were this model and there may have been more. I have attached a shot that I took in March 1977.

[TriMet Bus Fan]

On 1/26/2023 at 2:43 PM, 3we said:

Today in Hilo I saw a BYD K11M in front of Wal-Mart (probably Route 40 or Red Line). Looked like a demonstrator - roster number was "10" in press-on mailbox numbers.

Yes, per their Facebook this runs on route 40. I spotted it today (3/27/2023) running that route.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=233701899005962&set=a.200429398999879

 

 

Was in Hilo today and noticed an old Gillig running around! Based on the interior, build plate, and its numbering, I believe this is Ex-TheBus #322. 

Seen here on Route 101

[Thomasw]

Looks like Hele-On is still buying old Phantoms from Honolulu. 838 was spotted recently, wonder if there are anymore.

The ElDorado XHF's are said to be stored/retired but 802 appears to have been painted in the new livery so they must have been put to use.

[Glennwood Road Ent.]

On 10/8/2023 at 9:58 PM, Thomasw said:

Looks like Hele-On is still buying old Phantoms from Honolulu. 838 was spotted recently, wonder if there are anymore.

The ElDorado XHF's are said to be stored/retired but 802 appears to have been painted in the new livery so they must have been put to use.

What happened to the destination signs

[Thomasw]

5 hours ago, Glennwood Road Ent. said:

What happened to the destination signs

Seems like your typical cutting corners forcing the bus into service strategy. Who's got time to program a sign on a bus which will likely only run until it runs into a maintenance issue costing more than the bus is worth. 

[TriMet Bus Fan]

On 10/8/2023 at 6:58 PM, Thomasw said:

Looks like Hele-On is still buying old Phantoms from Honolulu. 838 was spotted recently, wonder if there are anymore.

The ElDorado XHF's are said to be stored/retired but 802 appears to have been painted in the new livery so they must have been put to use.

Finally going through and cataloging my pics of Hele-On from last march. 

 

I was able to take a visit to the yard. Noticed MANY Phantoms there that were not on the CPTDB wiki listing. I have made a few of those photos public, accessible from this album. https://www.flickr.com/photos/160680185@N07/albums/72177720314120659/

[Seashore_518203]

14 hours ago, TriMet Bus Fan said:

I was able to take a visit to the yard. Noticed MANY Phantoms there that were not on the CPTDB wiki listing. I have made a few of those photos public, accessible from this album. https://www.flickr.com/photos/160680185@N07/albums/72177720314120659/

Very interesting shots ! The fleet has changed quite a bit since I was there in 2012.

Are the Roberts J4500 buses with the Hele-On logo a short term lease? What ever happened to the Alexander Dennis double deckers that Hele On had?

[Orion6025]

On 1/16/2024 at 1:39 AM, TriMet Bus Fan said:

Finally going through and cataloging my pics of Hele-On from last march. 

 

I was able to take a visit to the yard. Noticed MANY Phantoms there that were not on the CPTDB wiki listing. I have made a few of those photos public, accessible from this album. https://www.flickr.com/photos/160680185@N07/albums/72177720314120659/

 

Ex-TheBus 2000: 816-817, 830 , 832-833, 838, 840

Ex-TheBus 1997: 303-304, 307, 310, 312, 314, 317, 320, 322-323

 

These are the additional buses I noted from the images you uploaded. Do you have any more to report? Hele-On has been a very difficult agency for me to get info from so any additional information would be greatly appreciated.

[TriMet Bus Fan]

5 hours ago, Orion6025 said:

 

Ex-TheBus 2000: 816-817, 830 , 832-833, 838, 840

Ex-TheBus 1997: 303-304, 307, 310, 312, 314, 317, 320, 322-323

 

These are the additional buses I noted from the images you uploaded. Do you have any more to report? Hele-On has been a very difficult agency for me to get info from so any additional information would be greatly appreciated.

Unfortunately, my hotel was on the other side of the island when I visited. This made getting to Hilo (where the county-owned fleet is mainly stored and operated) a more time-consuming effort than I had thought. Most routes on the island's west side (other than Route 80) are contracted out to Roberts Hawaii, using their motorcoaches or cutaways. 

 

Also, it's worth mentioning that most of the county-owned buses were not out on the day I visited the yard because evidently, that day was a Hawaiian holiday (Prince Kuhio Day). That's because the majority of the routes that operate on Holidays are Roberts Hawaii' contracted routes, which means that most of the county-owned buses do not run and were sitting in the yard.

 

One thing omitted from the wiki is that there are 'Trolleys' that are used on Route 201 (and maybe other Kona routes). There is a pic of one on the page for the route.

 

Overall, it was one of the most confusing agencies I have ever visited. While they have some really old buses, their system is hard to use. The majority of their bus stops do not have any signage indicating that a bus stops there. (people literally just have to know to stand at the right spot. Even the locations on the maps did not always match where buses actually stopped). Second, they tend to also 'run on their own schedule.' Third, with a tiny exception, practically none of their buses have a tracker, either. I actually almost got stranded because of this poor service.

 

[Orion6025]

8 hours ago, TriMet Bus Fan said:

county-owned fleet

The wiki should now be complete with the 13 1997 Phantoms donated sometime in 2022. As for the 2000 and 2002s, there are 8, the fleet number for one of those is unknown.

[TriMet Bus Fan]

Looks like they are using El Dorados in service now. Pictured here is #252, at the Hilo Transit Center. (Sorry, don't know many other details. This is not my photo, but posted with permission).