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New express bus service
By Steve Murray
a popular alternative
Star-BulletinThe new CountryExpress! bus service is meeting first-month projections for ridership from the Leeward Coast.
Roger Morton, director of operations for Oahu Transit Services, said approximately 2,000 people a day are taking advantage of the 20-minutes-quicker ride to town.
An Oahu Transit Services survey found most of the riders on the new express service are made up of Kapolei residents who have switched from regular bus routes.
Maeda Timson, chairwoman of the Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board, said the response to the new service has been outstanding.
"We have been just amazed on the frequency," she said. "People are not just using it to get to work, they are using it during working hours. It's as fast as, or faster than, driving."
Currently, the CountryExpress! is running near capacity during peak hours and at just under 50 percent for the entire day. Systemwide, TheBus runs at 50 percent of seating capacity, Morton said.
CountryExpress! service began on May 8 and consists of seven buses running at half-hour intervals between Makaha Valley Road and downtown. Improved connections are planned during the summer.
The double-length buses had some initial problems with air conditioning and a lack of engine power. Morton said the air conditioning has been repaired and the engine problem is being fixed with the installation of new fuel-distribution software. The manufacturers are paying the cost of the repairs.
If you have any questions about the CountryExpress, you can call TheBus at 848-5555 or 296-1818 ext. 3977.
TheBus
