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Handi-Van passengers Oahu's 13,000 Handi-Van riders would have to pay $2 a trip instead of $1.50 under an amended public transit fare bill making its way through the City Council.
may end up paying
$2 per trip
A City Council bill now adds the
Handi-Van to fare increases
proposed for TheBus serviceBy Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-BulletinHandi-Van riders were originally spared across-the-board increases proposed for TheBus passengers. But the Council Budget Committee yesterday added Handi-Van riders to the bill on the advice of officials from Oahu Transit Services, which operates both services.
The bill also calls for the adult single cash fare of TheBus to go to $1.50 from $1. Students, seniors and those with disabilities would pay 75 cents, up from 50 cents.
Monthly adult passes would rise to $27 from $25, and monthly student rates to $13.50 from $12.50. Seniors and persons with disabilities would pay $25 for a two-year pass, up from $20.
A public hearing on the rate increases is slated for March 14. A final vote is scheduled for April 4. If approved, the new fares would take effect July 1.
The increases are expected to bring in about $5 million to help pay for TheBus and $300,000 for the Handi-Van operations. Only about $27 million of TheBus' $112 million budget comes directly from passengers. The rest of the budget is paid for by subsidies.
Handi-Van service costs about $12 million to operate. Roger Morton, Oahu Transit's vice president, said the higher fare would result in total annual revenues of about $1.1 million, meaning more than 90 percent of Handi-Van costs would still be subsidized.
Absent from yesterday's meeting was anyone from the administration of Mayor Jeremy Harris. Harris has resisted previous attempts to have bus fares increased.
Some Council members also criticized the administration for not stating how they intend to address a $5 million deficit in TheBus' budget this year, caused primarily by rising fuel and equipment costs.
Managing Director Benjamin Lee said later that Transportation Services Director Cheryl Soon is working with Oahu Transit to find cost-cutting measures that would stave off a reduction in services when the fiscal year ends in June.
Lee said he does not know if Harris would support or veto the fare increase bill if it makes it out of the Council.
City & County of Honolulu
