Maui transit study forecasts
$7.3M cost in 5-year plan

WAILUKU » A mass transit study on the Valley Isle recommends expanding public bus service hours and adding routes to serve West Maui and Upcountry areas.

But the study also projects that with various changes, Maui County's annual costs will rise from $500,000 to $3.1 million in the first year of the proposed plan to $7.3 million in five years.

The "Maui County Short-Range Transit Plan" also calls for fare increases.

The fares, currently as high as $2 a ride, would increase to up to $2.50 by the fifth year.

The 125-page report was done by Urbitran Associates Inc. and cost the county $149,800. County transportation Director Kyle Ginoza said he agrees with the study's recommendation to expand bus routes and the hours of operation.

Ginoza said during public meetings residents complained about long waits and wanted the service to start earlier and end later in the day to make commuting between home and the workplace easier.

Ginoza said one of the reasons for the rise in bus subsidy cost is the proposed expansion of services beyond residential areas.

"As we try to reach out to the communities that are more rural, the cost per passenger trip will go up," he said.

The bus system has about 144,000 passenger trips annually and that is expected to jump to 600,000 by the fifth year of the plan, county transportation officials said.

The Maui County Council authorized $500,000 for the public bus system in fiscal 2004-05 and also $150,000 for the bus transit study.

The council is expected to review the study, as it develops the budget for fiscal 2005-06.

The study can be examined at the county's transportation office at suite 102 at the David K. Trask Jr. Office Building at 2145 Kaohu St. or at the county's Web site at www.co.maui.hi.us/departments/Planning/pdf/srtp.pdf .