HI: Honolulu City Council considers fare hikes for public transit

Honolulu City Council members today will consider increasing fares for riders of TheBus, TheHandi-Van and Skyline for the first time since 2022.

The proposed fare hikes, starting next year, are necessary due to rising operational and maintenance costs across the city’s transportation system, city officials assert.

The Council’s Budget Committee today is scheduled to discuss Bill 54—a measure formally requested by the city Department of Transportation Services—which calls for a new fare structure for the city’s transit system.

The committee’s discussion of Bill 54 is expected to include review of two committee drafts of the underlying bill as well, Council staff say.

As initially proposed, Bill 54 could increase the annual adult fare from $880 to $990 ; and fares for monthly adult fare would rise to $90, up from the current charge of $80—a 12.5 % price increase for both.

Other fare changes would include charging $45 for a seven-day pass, up from the current $35—a 28.5 % difference ; and $50 for the senior’s annual fare, up from $45, an 11 % increase.

The city’s monthly youth fare to TheBus would climb $5, or 12.5 % to $45, the bill states.

TheHandi-Van fares would go from $2.25 to $2.50 for a one-way ride—an 11 % increase.

Single fares would remain at $3, but riders who pay cash would have to pay 25 cents more.

If adopted, the measure’s fare changes will take effect Jan. 1.

“The City Council is focused on making fares more equitable and affordable by expanding eligibility for reduced fare programs, ” Andrew Phomsouvanh, the Council’s communications manager, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “The Budget Committee’s amendments seek to clarify and update passenger categories and maintain discounted monthly and annual passes for residents.”

He added those amendments “also encourage the use of the HOLO card over cash, introduce special fares for trips to the airport and community events, and extend reduced fares to Section 8 voucher holders.”

The proposed fare hikes also come as the more than $10 billion Skyline project’s Segment 2 opens to public revenue service on Thursday. The new rail line will run for 5.2 miles and offer four new stations, including one at the airport. Skyline’s third segment to Kakaako is expected to be completed by 2030.

During the Council Budget Committee’s Sept. 23 meeting, the five-member panel voted unanimously to amend a version of Bill 54, then postponed the item to a later date.

Committee Chairperson Val Okimoto stated the vote would allow DTS more time to further analyze the ramifications of the measure.

Prior to that vote, DTS Director Roger Morton noted fare changes proposed under a committee draft offered by Okimoto would keep senior fares the same rate as it is now. “And reduces my authority to set fares for specific events such as concerts, athletic events and those types of special services, ” he added.

“In the original Bill 54, I estimated it would be about $4 million of revenue increase, ” Morton said. “This is at a time when our costs go up in multiples of that $4 million per year.”

In November 2024, Morton told the Honolulu Rate Commission that costs were rising across the city’s public transit system. At that time, he noted annual costs to run the city’s buses were $244.8 million ; for TheHandi-Van, $53 million ; and for Skyline, about $76 million.

Morton also told rate commissioners a proposed fare increase to DTS could generate about $4.4 million in additional revenue for the system.

But at the Sept. 23 meeting, members of the public largely spoke against Bill 54.

Bryan Mick, with the state’s Disability and Communication Access Board, or DCAB, opposed any versions of the bill that may increase fares for low-income people or diminish services to the disabled.

Donald Sakamoto, with Citizens for a Fair ADA Ride, said he was concerned about imposing a 25-cent surcharge for a cash payment on TheBus, versus having to use the transit system’s prepaid HOLO card instead.

“That’s kind of harsh, ” he asserted. “Some people can’t put too much money on their HOLO card.”

According to Phomsouvanh, if Bill 54 passes out of committee today, it will proceed to the full Council for a third and final reading.

The committee meets at 9 a.m. inside City Council Chambers, 530 S. King St.

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