FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM The city is considering changing its bus-pass policy for senior citizens. A group of bus riders composed predominantly of senior citizens boards an eastbound bus along Hotel Street.

City reviews senior bus pass fees

The city is proposing eliminating one-month bus passes for senior citizens, offering annual and two-year passes to streamline bus operations, but some councilmembers say the proposal could instead increase the burden on seniors.

The proposal, Bill 79 CD 1, would make purchasing bus passes easier for seniors and disabled persons by removing a requirement to buy identification cards, city transportation officials told a City Council committee earlier this month.

Currently, senior citizens have to purchase identification cards for $10, which are good for four years, to prove their age of 65 and over for a discount. Under the proposal, the city would eliminate this step and let seniors use their Medicare card as identification instead.

"The idea is to not hurt the seniors," said James Burke, city Public Transit Division administrator. "We're trying to make it easier to use."

Because of bus riders requests, city transportation officials proposed adding the option of buying two-year bus passes for seniors and disabled persons. However, they would also remove the option of purchasing monthly passes for seniors and disabled persons because they are not as heavily used as the yearlong passes.

As of December there were 29,042 seniors who purchased annual bus passes for $30, Burke said. Typically, there are about 100 to 600 seniors who purchase $5 monthly passes, he said.

Lani Rivera, 76, of Kaneohe, who owns an annual bus pass, said she supports the city's proposal and would purchase the two-year pass if it was available.

"That $5 pass should be eliminated," said Rivera, who was waiting at a bus stop at Alakea and Hotel streets Monday. "It's generally for visitors."

Others said they are fine with the current system and said some on fixed income would have a hard time coming up with $60 to pay for a two-year pass.

But some objected to eliminating the monthly bus passes option, saying that some senior citizens might not be able to afford the annual passes and might only need to ride the bus for a shorter amount of time.

"I don't want to make things already harder than they are for our senior citizens," said Council Chairwoman Barbara Marshall. "I know there are seniors who can't muster $30 or $60 at a time."

Barbara Kim Stanton, director of the local chapter of the American Association of Retired People, said she likes the option of the biennial passes but opposes the other changes.

"What they could do is let the market dictate," Stanton said. "I don't see a problem with offering $5, $30 and $60 passes and see what the people will purchase. We'd always like to have seniors have as many options as possible."

The proposal has been deferred in committee, meaning it is not moving forward, while transportation officials address other concerns within the bill, including:

» Requiring children under 5 years old to be accompanied on public transportation, including HandiVans.

» Allowing the city to contract with for-profit (versus only nonprofit) companies for services.

New Bus fares considered

*Seniors and disabled persons would no longer be required to purchase identification cards and can instead use their Medicare cards, so rates would fall for Medicare passengers to $1 for a single fare.