STORYLINE

Hailoha-Health Set To Expand To Big Island Despite Concerns

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Hailoha’s latest offering, Hailoha-Health, was launched late last year to much fanfare. The service targeting: healthcare providers, hospitals, imaging facilities, clinics, and those unable to drive themselves to appointments, has driven a rocky road over the past 3 months. Despite numerous complaints about the service, particularly by a wide range of Lahaina medical professionals, Hailoha has announced they plan to expand the service to the Island of Hawai’i by this summer.

Nella Lawe, Hailoha Vice President, says the company saw a need for a healthcare transportation service, and stepped in to fill the gap. “As alarming as it may seem, more than 4 million American’s miss medical appointments because they don’t have access to transportation, or the money to afford the exorbitant price of traditional healthcare transportation. Hailoha-Health has saved lives.”

The company says that Hailoha-Health offers the sick and infirmed a reliable and efficient way to get to appointments. They say patients enjoy that their drivers are their neighbors, making what can sometimes be a anxiety-ridden experience more pleasant. Hailoha says that all their drivers are trained in HIPAA compliance and standards. In addition, the service is designed so medical centers can book rides on behalf of clients using Hailoha’s customer booking dashboard.

“We go to great lengths to protect client privacy. Medical data is never stored or handled by our drivers. The only information your driver ever knows is your name, where you are, and where you need to go. We’re not an ambulance service, but we are handling another type of emergency in the medical field. We’ve already seen a 20% uptick in clients making their appointments thanks to our service, and I’m sure that’s just the beginning,” says Lawe.

However, not everyone believes that the what the company is offering is good medicine. Many healthcare professionals have lodged complaints about the service, drivers, and Hailoha business practices. Lahaina Medical Center Director Dalia Forsythe is one of the company’s most vocal critics, saying the company, “isn’t offering the cure to anything but common sense.”

“There is a reason that healthcare regulations exist. It takes a long time to grasp the ins and outs, learn all the HIPPA rules, and become certified in basic first aid, including CPR. To say that these drivers can learn everything they need to know in one afternoon of instructional videos is ridiculous! It’s not just patients that are in danger either. Hailoha says their service is restricted to people only, but drivers routinely make deliveries of tissues, and even organs from facilities trying to save a dollar. I’ve personally witnessed a driver pull donated corneas from a cooler filled with beer, and I’ve heard of drivers losing biopsy tissues on the way to a lab. Hailoha says that they are not an ambulance service, but I’ve seen many patients in dire need of medical attention try to save a little money by calling them, instead of an ambulance. People have absolutely died because of that choice. I agree that there is a real issue here with regard to transportation, but we’re not going to fix the problem with just a band-aid and Hailoha-Health.”

Despite Dr. Forsythe’s misgivings the service has grown substantially since the beginning of the year, and is quite popular not only with those in need of transportation, but with drivers themselves. Local resident and part-time Hailoha-Health driver Randy Wilcox says it’s a great way to give back, and learn about your neighbors in need. “To tell you the truth, I’d do this for free,” he says.

“I have friends who are Hailoha drivers and love it. My buddy Mark had been trying to get me to drive for close to a year. He said it was fun, and an easy way to make a little extra money, but it seemed kind of boring to me. Then I heard about Hailoha-Health, and I knew I had give it a try. I was not disappointed. Sure, there’s lots of calls from old people who need to go get their meds, or get that spot on their leg looked at, but you can just decline those jobs. I hang out by the cliffs, or the beach when the surf is big, anywhere I think people could get injured, and it’s paid off. I love the controlled chaos of an emergency call. I can drive as fast as I need to, cut through parks, down closed trails through the preservation zone, and get paid when I’m done. Just last weekend I had to drive through two different soccer games, while taking a shortcut for a woman who’s ankle looked broken. It was exhilarating! Of course the police say that driving people to the hospital for a living is no excuse for “reckless driving”. I’m fighting the tickets though, and I’m sure the judge will see it my way once I explain everything to her. As long as I still have a license, I’m going to keep driving Lahaina’s most injured, at a high rate of speed, to the medical facility of their choice. It’s been awesome so far!”

Hailoha says the new service will debut in Hilo June 7th.

STORYLINE

Officials Say Unwitting Driver Helped Thieves In Burglary Spree

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Lahaina Police arrested three men late Sunday evening for breaking into at least 4 homes in the Black Rock Beach area, and stealing property. 28-year-old Tim Luahi and his cousin 25-year-old Ollie Luahi are facing multiple counts of robbery and grand larceny, but it is the role of the third man, 30-year-old Mark Me’e that has everyone talking. A driver for Fleetaleet, a commercial freight spin-off of the popular Hailoha ridesharing service, Me’e claims he had no idea that his customers were thieves, and thought he was just helping them clear out a number of newly purchased homes. Police say there are no charges filed against Me’e, and he was released soon after his arrest.

Launched last year, Fleetaleet offers a “quick, and affordable solution to anyone needing last minute, or infrequent commercial trucking services,” according to Nella Lawe, Hailoha Vice President. She says, “Drivers get sick, trucks breakdown, automated trucking is expensive, and long-term leasing can be a hassle. We recognized a need in the market for real-time freight services and took advantage. Fleetaleet has provided hundreds of companies with on-demand trucking solutions, and moved millions of pounds of their goods safely, and in a timely manner. Our drivers are safe, and we have a higher customer satisfaction rating than any traditional freight company.” Nonetheless, there are many homeowners this morning who are not singing the company’s praises.

According to Me’e the night started out as any other, until he got an alert that someone was in need of a box truck. “I had been shuttling people all day from the beach to hotels and locations along Front Street. I was getting pretty burned out, and then I saw someone needed a moving truck and driver for a 4 hour job. I thought it’d be a great way to break up the monotony, and end the night with a big job. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened.” Mark says he met the Luahi’s at a beach house North of Black Rock Beach, and while nothing seemed unusual at first, the night began to take a strange turn. “Maybe it was just because I was so tired that I wasn’t thinking straight or something, but I really didn’t think anything was wrong until I saw the police lights.”

From his statement to the police:

“I arrive at the address I was given to find two guys wearing half face tactical masks, and standing by a pile of electronics and some rolled up rugs. I joked with them that I just drove the truck, and didn’t know anything about robbing banks. They said they were from the mainland, and were worried about catching the flu, and the masks were the only thing available at the veil station shop. They explained that they had just purchased a bunch of investment properties in Lahaina, and needed to do walk-throughs and make sure nothing was left behind. They loaded up the truck, and off we went to the next location.

They didn’t seem to have the right addresses, and we drove around for a while, but I didn’t mind too much because the meter was running. We finally got to the next home, and I waited for them to do their inspection. Again, they came out with a bunch of electronics and a jewelry box this time. I remember thinking that whoever left their jewelry behind was an idiot. In retrospect, I guess I was the idiot.

This went on for a while. I’m not sure exactly how long because I was so tired. I did think it was strange that they never brought out any furniture, and almost asked about it, but thought maybe they were planning on renting some of the places furnished. At this point I could barely keep my eyes open, and asked how many more houses they needed to clear out. They said there was one left; so we headed out.

I guess I had fallen asleep waiting for them, because the next thing I know there were lights everywhere, and someone is screaming for me to get out of the truck. Before I can do anything, the window shatters, and I’m face down in the driveway with a taser in my back. Not only did I not end the night with a big payday, but I’m tangled up in some sort of burglary ring in my hometown. I’ve gone out on some bad calls before, but this one takes the cake.”

Police say this is not the first time they have run into trouble with criminals using Fleetaleet for illegal activity. There have been numerous incidents of the company’s drivers being hired to transport stolen property, black market goods, and even drugs. Fleetaleet says they have a vetting process in place for drivers, and follow all applicable laws. Despite their assurances, Mayor Albert Cravalho says the company needs to do more to ensure the safety of the public.

“All a person needs to be a Fleetaleet driver is: an internet connection, access to a commercial vehicle, and the ability to click yes to a series of questions,” says Cravalho. “A 17-year-old boy, registered as a driver with Fleetaleet, rolled a tanker truck on the Honoapi’ilani Highway a few weeks ago just South of town. The spill shutdown traffic for hours as the site was cleaned. They can, and need to do better. I’m a little more understanding with them when it comes to this robbery thing. Clearly, this Mark guy needs to find wherever he put his common sense, and the company needs to reassess if this line of work is for him. If it was me, I wouldn’t hire him if he was the last driver left on Earth.”

STORYLINE

Drivers Protesting New “Hailoha-Lit” Service

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A pilot program designed to curtail drunk driving in West Maui over the holidays has some hopping mad. For over a month now, Hailoha-Lit has offered anyone a free ride if they find themselves on Front Street after a night of celebrating without a way to get home. A partnership between the city of Lahaina and the popular rideshare service Hailoha, the program has already delivered dozens of tourists safely to their hotels. However, many Hailoha drivers say the free service is potentially dangerous and the company has grossly lowered standards to meet demand.

Lahaina saw a record number of accidents, many involving inebriated drivers, last year and 2036 was on track to beat the record again. “We knew something needed to be done and I think we came up with a great solution,” says Mayor Albert Cravalho. Bartenders, police officers, and local business owners carry vouchers for the free rideshare service. After filling out a form with their basic information and declaring that they don’t have the money for a taxi, inebriated people get a free ride from a Hailoha-Lit driver. The service even provides a retrieval voucher for customer’s cars if they were towed, and a reimbursement envelope to send a donation at a later date. Cravalho says he expects other cities to offer similar services soon.

“We’ve seen a 60% drop in police and service calls since the program started and it runs entirely on donations. I’m not sure why some of these drivers see the program as a threat. Every driver can turn in a voucher for reimbursement it’s not like we’re taking away their business. Sure, some of the Hailoha-Lit vehicles may be a little rundown or unusual, but I don’t see the passengers complaining when they get to their destinations safely. The only problem here is disgruntled drivers making a scene.”

Mark Me’e doesn’t see it that way. A long time Hailoha driver Me’e says the program makes a mockery of ride-sharing services and Hailoha’s standards for Lit drivers are dangerous to the industry and more importantly to the public.

“When a passenger gets in my car, pays me, and gives me a location they get three things from me: a mint, a safe comfortable ride, and my undying devotion until we reach our destination. There has always been a strong social pact between driver and passenger. Whether it was ensuring nobody fell out of your canoe 3,000-years-ago, protecting passengers from bandits on your stagecoach, or ensuring everyone can make their connecting flights by going above a particularly bad storm in a jet, the job of taking people from one place to another has always been a sacred one, not to be taken lightly. I’ve seen people using Manimal ATVs as Lit drivers and we all know how unsafe those things are. If that wasn’t bad enough, I’ve also witnessed people riding on bike handlebars, in wagons, and even a lady pushing around tourists in a wheelbarrow. There is nothing sacred or honorable about delivering drunks in a piece of garden equipment.”

While the mayor denies Mark’s accusations and Hailoha says they only authorize the use of “wheeled vehicles” in the Lit program, there are numerous stories on social media sites detailing unusual rides home using the program. One such story involves 34-year-old Camilla Brandt and her husband Tim.

“It was our last night in Lahaina and we definitely overdid it. Tim had lost the credit cards somewhere between beach bars and I had left my purse in the hotel. We were trying to figure out what to do when a server told us about Hailoha-Lit and handed us a voucher. We had no idea what we were about to experience.

Randy was our driver. He explained how much he loved Lit and how the extra income was helping him take care of his grandmother. We didn’t understand at first what he meant when he said he never brought two people home before but was willing to try if we were. Then he went on to say that his car had broken down earlier that week and would be giving us piggy-back rides. We laughed, but he didn’t laugh with us. We just felt so bad for him that we thought we’d give it a try.

To be honest I don’t remember everything clearly because we did have a lot to drink and we were both trying so hard not to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. I just remember him carrying me a few hundred feet and then going back for Tim over and over again. Riding on his back was really bumpy and we had to stop frequently so I could puke but he didn’t seem to mind. Even so, Tim offered just to walk alongside us when he was getting bogged down on the beach, there was no point in all three of us retching in the sand, but Randy wouldn’t hear it. The piggy-back rides just got slower and slower. He collapsed about a half-mile from the hotel, but even then he was only concerned about us giving him a 4-star rating. He refused to let us call someone to help clean him up so we left him there sitting alongside the road with one of the best vacation stories in the history of vacations. I hope things got better for Randy and he isn’t still lugging around drunk people on his back. It was fun, but Hailoha needs a better screening process.”