Bus fares could
rise to avert
route cutsA hike proposed by
Mayor Harris would not
fund pay raises
Mayor Jeremy Harris has proposed raising bus fares to avoid more cuts in service for Honolulu's only mass transit system.
Exactly how much of an increase has yet to be determined. And Harris warned that the increase would only "maintain existing service levels," not provide more pay for unionized bus employees, who are threatening to strike on Aug. 26.
"By law the city cannot get involved in this collective bargaining process," said Harris in a press release yesterday. "The city has developed a contingency strike plan, but we hope cooler heads will prevail."
The current regular bus fare for an adult is $1.75.
State officials are also putting together their own contingency plan in case bus drivers strike.
Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday that she and her top administrators have begun looking at what role the state will play if Honolulu's bus drivers go on strike as threatened.
"We will be looking at any ways, if a strike occurs, how can the state help to make certain people can get to work and get to school and get their family affairs done," she said. "We have a quarter-million people a day riding the bus."
The Hawaii Teamsters Local 996, which represents 1,300 drivers, mechanics and clerks at Oahu Transit Services, said Thursday that talks remain stalled because the company refuses to budge on its demands for wage freezes and cuts in benefits.
Oahu Transit has proposed 34 cuts in benefits, including the elimination of two holidays, a freeze on wages and pensions for three years and a reduction in the company's contribution to medical premiums, according to the union. Oahu Transit is a private contractor that runs the bus system for the city.
City officials said yesterday that since the budget for this year has already passed, there is no money for restoring bus service cuts or driver wages.
The City Council passed a budget last month that included a reduction of $4 million to the Department of Transportation Services.
City officials said that translated to 100,000 hours a year of service cuts for TheBus and that DTS has started by cutting back the first 20,000 hours.
By increasing bus fares, Harris hopes to avoid making an additional 80,000 hours in cuts, city officials say.
"Bus revenues have been going down, so if we are going to avoid a reduction in bus service, then riders will need to pay about 3 percent more of the cost," said Harris. "If bus riders will pay for about one-third of the cost to operate TheBus, there will be no need for reduction in bus services."
According to Harris, bus fares now pay for 30 percent of the cost to run the bus system, with taxpayers subsidizing the rest.
Harris said he will propose a fare increase to the City Council.
City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi said the Council will hold a meeting within the next two weeks to determine the best course of action. However, she questioned why the city is dealing with this now, after the budget has already passed.
"If they told us last month, we could have worked something out," she said.
The last Honolulu bus strike occurred in 1971.
Lingle said yesterday that while she is reluctant to get involved in a labor negotiation, "it's a bigger issue than that here. It's an economic issue and a social issue."
She said her aides have not yet explored what powers she might have to intervene in the negotiations or a strike.
Lingle said her chief of staff, Bob Awana, has put together a small team to keep in touch with both the bus operators and the union. "We see a role just because it's going to have such a big impact," she said.
Star-Bulletin reporter Richard Borreca and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
