Patricia Nielsen, vice president of paratransit for O'ahu Transit Services, said those regular riders make up about 40 percent of the 2,500 daily trips made by Handi-Van drivers. She said service would remain restricted as long as a picket line surrounds the main bus office.

Handi-Van drivers belong to the Teamsters, the same union on strike against the company that runs city buses, so the drivers won’t cross a picket line, which prevents Handi-Vans from getting routine maintenance.

Officials from Handi-Van and the community organizations that depend on the $2-a-ride service for transportation for many of their clients are hopeful that service will soon return to normal.

The disruption to Handi-Van traffic was much worse on Wednesday — with only about

15 percent of the traffic handled, mostly limited to critical medical travel such as kidney dialysis — because OTS officials had cut back service in preparation for an expected sympathy picket line going up outside their office.

Even if negotiations resume and the bus strike is resolved during the weekend Nielsen said it’s likely that Tuesday would be the earliest all service could be restored.

The current restrictions have suspended the regularly scheduled trips to and from various community programs and agencies, stranding some of the disabled and elderly at home, according to various agencies.

Nielsen said many of those who ride the Handi-Van have few other options for transportation and face other barriers to such basic needs as getting to school, the pharmacy and the supermarket.

Jan Shishido, manager of adult community services for Kuakini Health System, said Kuakini oversees three centers that provide services to about 200 elderly each week. The services include socialization, therapeutic and leisure activities.

Shishido said about a third of their clients use Handi-van services regularly, some to get there and others to go from the program to doctor’s appointments, therapy or errands.

"This is throwing a curve in everybody’s schedule," Shishido said.

She hopes that the strike can settle soon to avoid a long-term hardship on the elderly and disabled. She said many of their clients were able to make it to some of the programs yesterday with the help of family, friends and neighbors. But some came late and left early.

Shishido said any long disruption in Handi-Van would be hard on the elderly and their families. She said the programs "give them that sense of independence away from their families and caregivers."

While the elderly are doing crafts, cooking and karaoke, they are keeping active mentally and physically, doing things they enjoyed before a disability slowed them down.

"We’re worried that there probably will be a decline in their health," Shishido said, as well as a negative effect on their caregivers who lack a break themselves.