Name: TheBus Should Be Free
Brand: civilbeat.org
SKU: civilbeat-org-139
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

TheBus Should Be Free

preview

Eliminating bus fare would protect the health of riders and operators, lower Honolulu's sky-high cost of living and promote a greener future.TheBus may be the only public transit system in the United States to be by the American Public Transportation Association as the nation’s “Best Transit System,” but one thing could still be done to revolutionize transit on Oahu: Make TheBus free.What was once considered a crazy idea has moved into the mainstream over the last couple years as places from to the have all gone fare free, so why not Honolulu too?Introducing zero fare transit would actually bring Hawaii in line with most transit providers on the mainland.As the novel coronavirus brought an end to normal life, transit in order to better protect the health of riders and bus operators alike. By foregoing fares, transit providers reduced possible transmission via surfaces like money and farecards.The move also allowed agencies to switch to backdoor boarding, rope off the front of vehicles and put as much distance as possible between drivers and riders.For — the company that runs TheBus on behalf of the City &amp; County’s Department of Transportation Services — the price tag may have seemed prohibitive.Fareboxes bring in about a quarter of TheBus’ budget, according to the department’s .In a more normal era, replacing $68 million in revenue would be no easy feat; however, at a time when Hawaii has received in federal assistance, such a sum sounds like a pittance to shore up the safety of riders and operators and maintain transit as a mobility lifeline.Since the start of the pandemic, at least on Oahu have contracted COVID-19. due to the virus.The vast majority of those cases have been traced back to friends and family members who passed along the virus, but in three cases no personal link to the transmission of the virus was found. As a result, those three operators have filed workers’ compensation claims, suspecting exposure on the job.While , it’s easy to understand bus operators’ concern when masks, face shields and sometimes even shower curtains represent their best protection from potentially infectious passengers.If ever there was an extreme circumstance to merit TheBus experimenting with zero fare service, a once-in-a-century deadly pandemic that has claimed over 300,000 American lives is the occasion.Beyond the health and workplace safety benefits of zero fare transit, making TheBus free would be akin to a magic bullet for both Oahu’s and the .On average, the annual cost of car ownership per vehicle in Hawaii is a whopping . The typical household in the islands , bringing the average family’s spending on transportation to over $29,000 a year. The cost of an annual bus pass, on the other hand, comes in at .Switching away from cars and toward free public transportation would not change Hawaii’s stagnant wages — the main reason locals have been leaving the islands lately — but the meager over the last decade wouldn’t sting so badly if folks could save so much money on transportation.Even for those who already take transit to get around, the savings would be significant.Over of TheBus are . Nearly 90% of frequent transit users earn below Oahu’s average median income — now at .Anti-poverty advocates have recently there are few things better to help Hawaii‘s economy than putting money directly into the hands of the poor. Making TheBus free may be one of the best ways to do that.The final reason for TheBus to try going fare free is the climate.Transportation accounts for &nbsp;of the state’s overall carbon emissions and 860 tons of sulfur oxides, 1,500 tons of particulate matter and 233,000 tons of carbon monoxide to the islands’ air pollution.With vehicle miles traveled expected to rise by an additional &nbsp;over the next two and a half decades, the problem is only going to get worse.That is unless we can convince more folks to take TheBus. Boosting public transportation is one of the best ways to reduce vehicle miles traveled and carbon pollution in one fell swoop.With just of residents commuting via TheBus pre-pandemic, increasing travel on transit appears to be among the lowest-hanging fruit to reduce Hawaii’s carbon footprint.Unfortunately, even before COVID-19, bus ridership was trending in the wrong direction. Over the last decade TheBus has .Honolulu’s will certainly help speed up travel and lure back riders but introducing zero fare transit could be just what TheBus needs to draw back riders in droves, especially with a in 2021.Last year members of TheBus’ Rate Commission openly debated lowering fares from $2.75 to just $2 to boost ridership.Instead, this May they actually despite warnings from Wes Frysztacki — then the DTS director — that “”Ditching fareboxes, however, could stop the bleeding and actually usher in a new golden era of public transportation on Oahu.Studies show that going zero fare typically increases a system’s ridership by . If local leaders want to protect the health of bus riders and operators, lower the sky-high cost of living and invest in a greener future, they know what to do: Make TheBus free.December 31, 20204 min readCivil Beat is a small nonprofit newsroom, and we’re committed to a paywall-free website and subscription-free content because we believe in journalism as a public service.That’s why donations from readers like you are essential to our continued existence.Help keep our journalism free for all readers by becoming a monthly member of Civil Beat today.The Bus fares are very cheap in comparison to what the actual costs to run it are.&nbsp; Somewhere in the area of less than 1/3 is covered by the fare box.&nbsp; The rest is tax monies.I value it how it was, how it is.&nbsp; I use it regularly.&nbsp; Making it free would only relegate it to disrepair and rationing of services.&nbsp; Just leave it alone.1 year agoFree bus travel causes emissions comparable to those of car travel, favors national and international businesses ahead of local businesses, and helps to lock in future emissions. Transit lanes are a better idea.A bus causes 4 to 5 times the emissions of a car, per kilometre. Buses carry many passengers in prime directions during peak hours, but fewer passengers in other directions and at other times. Canberra's buses carry an average of 8.3 people, compared with 1.46 people per car.Transit lanes (open to buses and to cars that carry passengers) are a more effective way to reduce emissions than bus-only lanes, which are often under-utilized.Free bus travel encourages people to bypass local businesses, in favor of national and international businesses that prefer to locate in CBDs.Free bus travel encourages people to live beyond cycling distance of where they work, study and shop. That locks them into a lifestyle that is dependent on car and bus travel.1 year agoHART could have paid for The Bus rides for all of us the rest of our lives. And probably our food bill as well. Instead it goes to contractors and business entities. What is the status of the accounting investigation?1 year agoIDEAS is the place you'll find essays, analysis and opinion on every aspect of life and public affairs in Hawaii. We want to showcase smart ideas about the future of Hawaii, from the state's sharpest thinkers, to stretch our collective thinking about a problem or an issue. Email to submit an idea.

Eliminating bus fare would protect the health of riders and operators, lower Honolulu's sky-high cost of living and promote a greener future.TheBus may be the only public transit system in the United States to be by the American Public Transportation Association as the nation’s “Best Transit System,” but one thing could still be done to revolutionize transit on Oahu: Make TheBus free.What was once considered a crazy idea has moved into the mainstream over the last couple years as places from to the have all gone fare free, so why not Honolulu too?Introducing zero fare transit would actually...

TheBus Should Be Free

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS