Honolulu bus, rail fares set to go up this summer

The city expects these increases to contribute another $4 million a year to the approximately $440 million system, and Department of Transportation Services director Roger Morton said the extra money will help cover projected cost increases.

Council members Radiant Cordero, Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and Matt Weyer voted against the fare increases laid out in Bill 54. During a discussion before the vote, they said the increases will hurt riders who rely on TheBus.

“When we say that we care for the poor in our community, we need to put our money where our mouth is,” Dos Santos-Tam said.

“Raising the fare will exacerbate Honolulu’s affordability crisis and acts as a regressive tax for people who rely on public transportation and deepens economic inequality in our city,” resident Junmi Chen told the council. 

Dale Vanderbrink, a member of the Ala Moana Neighborhood Board, which — along with the Mōʻiliʻili Neighborhood Board — recently adopted a resolution opposing the transit fare increases, said it’s another example of creeping costs after council members approved sewer fee increases last year. He said many people are wondering why those who earn the least are being asked to pay more. 

“I think the answer is simple,” he said. “Those who earn the least are not politically engaged. They don’t have time to attend these meetings, and many unfortunately do not vote and do not give hefty political contributions.”

In a statement, the director of transportation equity at Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center said the move would make it more difficult for people to take public transportation.

“At a moment when we should be making it easier to use public transportation, this vote moves us in the opposite direction,” Abbey Seitz said, adding that she will now focus on supporting state legislation to make public transportation free for youth.