State offers ways to beat back-to-school jam
By Jessica Webster
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Hawai'i Department of Transportation's Rideshare Office is the clearinghouse for many of the transportation alternatives available on O'ahu. It offers a free carpool and school pool matching service. Vanpool Hawai'i offers vehicles to groups of four or more people for a shared commute at a cost of $50 per person per month. For more information on rideshares, call the Rideshare Office at 587-RIDE (587-7433).
Maybe people should ride elephants to work.
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It's not exactly the alternative the state was touting to motorists yesterday, but kids at the Honolulu Zoo during the state's rideshare news conference wondered if elephants would ease traffic congestion, too.
Probably would.
But state transportation spokeswoman Marilyn Kali — in the presence of a python, a few crocodile monitors and some snacking elephants — presented a handful of less controversial rideshare alternatives for the coming weeks when more than 270,000 students return to school. Options to beat the "jungle traffic" include various carpool alternatives, many arranged by the state's Rideshare Office.
"We can never build enough roads to deal with rush-hour road congestion," said Kali. "That's why we should look to ... management and people who are willing to share rides."
Vanpool alone has 150 vans and pulls more than 1,000 people out of traffic.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
Kali's other transportation suggestions include biking to work and taking the city bus. The Commuter Express Bus Service provides a reserved seat for people traveling to downtown or Waikiki from Waipi'o or Mililani.
Radio personality Michael W. Perry shares the limelight with a crocodile monitor at the Honolulu Zoo as he helps kick off this year's "Beat the School Jam" campaign, the theme of which is "It's a jungle out there."
Parents can also put their children on Roberts Hawaii private school bus service.
Kali and Jeffrey Owens, with the Honolulu Police Department, said all motorists should plan for extra travel time and drive carefully.
"There will be more vehicles on the road, and more children on the road, so drive with aloha and consideration," said Owens, commander with the traffic division. "Expect delays and plan ahead."
This is the 15th year of the annual campaign to remind Honolulu commuters about the increase in traffic associated with the start of a new school year. The big public-school starting dates to watch for are tomorrow, Aug. 1 and Aug. 23. More than 40,000 university, college and Punahou students will start school Aug. 27.w
