Keiki Ride Free measure on buses and rail advances

Data from Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice’s “Keiki Ride Free” report suggest eliminating fares could have measurable impacts. The report found that when youth fares were reduced or removed, ridership among middle and high school students increased significantly, particularly for trips to and from school and after-school activities . Families also reported meaningful transportation savings, especially in multi-child households that previously paid daily bus fares or relied on car trips.

Abbey Seitz, director of transportation equity at Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the consequences are visible in everyday life.

Students miss school programs, jobs and even medical appointments because they can’t afford a bus pass or lack reliable access to a car, she said. While some counties offer discounted or free fares, inconsistent rules and ID requirements create barriers — especially for youth experiencing homelessness, foster youth and students in low-income households. Limited bus service in rural areas and on neighbor islands further compounds inequities.

Most youth under 18 lack driver’s licenses and independent income, Seitz said, and low-income families are less likely to have access to a vehicle. In Hawaiʻi, where living costs are among the highest in the nation, even modest monthly youth fares can add up quickly for families with multiple children. Eliminating fares would provide predictable savings and reduce barriers at a formative stage when mobility shapes long-term educational and economic outcomes.

The Oʻahu Metropolitan Planning Organization reported that households on Oʻahu spend nearly 50 percent of their income on housing and transportation combined, and Seitz noted that fare-free access disproportionately benefited low-income and rural families, expanding access to education, jobs and enrichment opportunities.

“Native Hawaiian communities, and residents of rural areas and neighbor islands would likely see the greatest benefit. These communities are more likely to rely on public transit and less likely to have access to multiple vehicles,” Seitz said. “On islands outside of Oʻahu, where services may be limited and distances long, eliminating fares can help offset other structural disadvantages. A statewide model ensures equity across counties so that a child’s ZIP code does not determine their access to mobility.”

Seitz estimated the program initially could cost between $5 million and $10 million annually, though more data is needed to better understand statewide youth ridership and potential revenue offsets. Transit, she noted, always requires public investment — whether through fares or tax revenue — and youth fares make up only a small share of overall income. Collecting those fares also carries administrative costs. Shifting to sustainable public funding, she said, could simplify operations while supporting long-term educational attainment, workforce participation and climate goals.

Seitz said fare-free transit for youth is a step toward a broader vision of affordable access for everyone.

“Ultimately, the most effective fare-free programs — both locally and nationally — provide universal transit access,” she said. “However, providing statewide access for youth is an important step to make this vision a reality.”

If implemented successfully, she said, the program could build momentum for expanding fare-free policies to additional groups or even systemwide access, particularly if paired with service improvements.

Without legislative action, Seitz warned, the current patchwork system would remain in place — leaving families to navigate inconsistent rules and absorb transportation costs that can limit opportunity. Youth who cannot afford transit will continue to face barriers to education, employment, health care and community participation.

“In a state already grappling with economic inequality and high costs of living,” she said, “failing to remove this barrier means prolonging preventable disparities in opportunity and mobility.”