Whatever Happened To...
An update on past news
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UH shuttle to shopping areas stops
Question: What ever happened to the shuttle service between the University of Hawaii at Manoa and shopping and entertainment areas in Waikiki, Ala Moana, Ward Centre and Restaurant Row?
Answer: Tomorrow will be the last run for the shuttle service.
The shuttles were supposed to reduce the need for dorm residents to bring cars to campus, but low ridership and the $2,500-a-week cost led to the shutdown.
In a flier, UH-Manoa parking service said "ridership has declined significantly to the point where there are frequently no passengers at all on many trips."
Only 144 students have used the shuttle service in the first 16 days of the spring semester, UH-Manoa spokesman Jim Manke said last month.
The university began offering the Rainbow Shuttle service on Aug. 24. The shuttles run from 4 p.m. until midnight.
The shuttle was the idea of a student senator at UH-Manoa.
Student government President Grant Teichman blamed a lack of publicity and the imposition of a $20-a-semester fee for the lack of ridership.
"It was a great idea except the school didn't follow up with any marketing. Students didn't know it even existed," Teichman said.
At first the shuttle was free, but UH-Manoa began charging $20 for a semester pass in October. Students who purchased a city U-pass to ride TheBus could also use the shuttle.
Ridership dropped off significantly when the fee was imposed, Manke said.
A survey of dorm residents taken before the winter break indicated students felt the shuttle service should run later in the evening beyond midnight.
Students also did not want to pay the $20 fee, Manke said.
This update was written by Star-Bulletin reporter Craig Gima.
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