The city has rolled out a new bus: a prototype red-white-and-blue one that is 5 feet longer and has 10 more seats than standard buses. Made of a carbon-fiber material lighter than steel but does not rust (shades of Aloha Stadium!), it's also 1,000 pounds lighter than the standard city bus.

The buses, at $500,000 each, could replace up to 120 of the city's old ones, if proven to be effective: more riders, better gas mileage, lessening load on Oahu streets. Thirty-day tests are under way at the Kalihi-Waikiki line, among others.

Given that Hawaii sometimes lags behind on eco-friendly initiatives, it's good to see us road-testing options.