Organizers Roy Yanagihara and Keoki Leong, both with the Kane'ohe Neighborhood Board, said they have obtained a donated van, organized volunteer drivers and obtained the backing of businesses.

Basically the shuttle will operate along Kamehameha Highway where most of the businesses are located.

During the trial run, the van will operate continually from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays only, picking up residents at gathering places, stores and senior centers and by appointment.

"Some are 70 and 80 years old and they're walking two miles to go to Safeway or Longs," said Yanagihara, who helped organize a similar service during the bus strike last year. "I still see the same little old lady that I used to pick up walking to the market."

A shuttle service would be well received, said Gladys Sanchez, 73, and president of the Ko'olau Seniors Hui. Club members use the bus or depend on others to drive them to the organization's functions, Sanchez said.

"Just the idea of having somebody addressing this problem is wonderful," she said, adding that she would use the service. "It's getting to the point where we're getting a little older and our reflexes are not as good. It's kind of scary to be on the road nowadays. People are so aggressive."

Sharleen Nakamura, a nurse in an orthopedic office for 29 years, said the service could eventually relieve family members who must take time off from work to drive the elderly to therapy sessions or other appointments.

Nakamura also said that although exercise is good for seniors in the morning and evening, seniors need help with shopping.

"I see a lot of seniors walking with their pullcarts to and from Star Market and it's hot out there and they're loaded down," said Nakamura, who also believes the service would give seniors a sense of independence.

During the bus strike last year the Kane'ohe Lions Club volunteered shuttle services to seniors, taking them shopping and on errands, Yanagihara said. The service lasted for about a month but the number of passengers increased weekly to five or more a day, according to Yanagihara, who said the shuttle didn't run long enough to establish permanent ridership.

Yanagihara said he hopes to obtain federal money designated for senior transportation to initiate the project, but wants to develop a partnership with local businesses to sustain it.

Merle Sen, with Kane'ohe Business Group, said businesses are open to the idea and see the shuttle service as an opportunity to reach customers who otherwise don't get out regularly.

"There's a lot of seniors in the outskirts where it's too far to walk to the bus stop," said Sen, a property manager with Barbara Yim Partners.

To get the federal grant, organizers must gather statistics about who and how many people would ride the van. Questionnaires will be distributed and potential riders can call 358-0104 to express their interest, said Leong.

Last weekend during a fair covering senior citizens' issues, participants said they want safer roads and sidewalks, Leong said.

"We're hopefully going a step further and saying: 'Why don't we just pick them up?' " he said.