By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
Despite past failed attempts to sustain a commuter ferry service in Hawai‘i, a Nevada-based company is floating an idea for a similar private inter-island and intra-island ferry service as early as the end of this year.
 |
| The state’s experimental WikiWiki commuter ferry operated between Leeward O‘ahu and downtown.
Advertiser library photo • Jan. 24, 2000 |
The news comes three months after the state completed its yearlong WikiWiki commuter ferry experiment between Leeward O‘ahu and downtown Honolulu.
Rainbow Transportation Group Inc. would like to bring four jetfoil craft with a capacity of 250 people each to the Islands, said company president W.E. Matt Dillon.
Dillon said two of the four Boeing jetfoil craft would be used to shuttle O‘ahu commuters to downtown Honolulu and back during morning and afternoon rush hours. During the middle of the day, the four vessels would be used for interisland service, starting with trips between Maui and Moloka‘i.
"We would eventually want to expand the interisland service to O‘ahu and the Big Island," Dillon said from his company’s Las Vegas office. "There are a lot of big ifs to be answered, including whether we can get adequate docking space at state harbors. We’re still studying our options, but we are serious about this."
Dillon said his company has pitched the idea to state legislators.
"Some of us saw their presentation, and they seem serious about it," said Cal Kawamoto, Senate Transportation Committee chairman.
The House Finance Committee on Friday passed a measure that would float a special facility revenue bond to pay for improvements to state harbors for the proposed Rainbow ferry service. The measure now faces a full House vote.
At an O‘ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization public meeting last week, state transportation officials also brought up the company’s interest in operating a Hawai‘i ferry service.
Dillon said the vessels would cost between $12 million and $15 million each and would travel between 40 and 45 mph. The ferries are updated models of those used by SeaFlite Inc. in the late 1970s.
A summary report on the state’s commuter ferry pilot project determined that any potential operator would need to do other commercial activities, such as interisland service, to stay afloat financially, said State Department of Transportation planner Dean Nakagawa.
Nakagawa believes a 20- to 30-minute ‘Ewa Beach-to-downtown Honolulu route could work, since that route measured the highest ridership during the state’s temporary ferry service. Before federal funding ran out for the pilot project, more than 300 ‘Ewa Beach riders signed a petition asking the state to continue the service.
"Since Fort Weaver Road is the main road out of ‘Ewa Beach, people may have been more persuaded to try the ferry," said Nakagawa.
Meanwhile, Dillon said he is not deterred by previous unsuccessful tries to operate a commuter ferry here.
Dillon said he has studied what worked and didn’t during the state’s WikiWiki service.
"Some things could be improved on," Dillon said. "I think you have to learn from the past experiences. We believe the timing is right for something like this."
[back to top] |
