Transfer system for TheBus is broken

By David H. Niau
Bus driver for TheBus

The O'ahu Transit Services and the City Council again have approved an increase in bus fares, citing a lack of revenues from fares.

The present fares of 50 cents for students ($12.50 monthly pass) and $1 for adults ($25 monthly pass) are fair. They are not the reason for low revenues.

What the company and the City Council fail to acknowledge is that the present transfer-ticket system is ridiculous and is the main reason for lost revenue.

When I started 6 1/2 years ago, we used a two-colored transfer ticket system, one color for going one way (east) and another for going west, and all the operator had to do was punch the route number on the transfer. If a passenger had to transfer onto two routes to get to his or her destination, the driver would tear the bottom portion of the transfer and the remainder of the transfer was used to board the third route.

Transfers at that time were valid for one continuous ride in one direction within the time designated. That system worked quite well except for transfers with no punch marks.

The system was later changed to one color, but it became more of a responsibility of the operator to properly punch the route and direction on the transfer. This is when a lot more drivers began to neglect to properly do so.

The present system allows passengers to ride an unlimited number of times on any route in either direction within the time allowed as shown at the tear-portion of the transfer. All the driver has to do is verify that the time has not expired and the passenger retains the transfer for further use until the time allotted expires.

This system has depleted revenue by half, if not more, than what was previously collected. Not only are transfers not properly checked by some drivers, there are drivers who just hang a bag at the fare box railing and just point to the bag to direct the passenger to discard his transfer.

It has become a health issue with a lot of drivers; they refuse to even touch a transfer for fear of contracting some disease.

There are passengers who request transfers when getting off the bus, even when they gave you an expired transfer when they got on. Drivers have been instructed to always give the passenger the benefit of the doubt and to avoid any confrontation or altercation involving adispute with an invalid transfer.

The transfer-ticket system should be eliminated. Pay a fare for every route you board or purchase a monthly bus pass or some kind of three-or four-day pass.