Commuter alternatives limited

By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer

•	Bus alternatives Vanpools Hawaii 596-VANS or online. Rideshare Program 587-RIDE LOTMA Free car-pooling matches in Leeward and Central O'ahu 677-7433 or online. Bicycle Commuting 527-5044 or online. OTHER OPTIONS Car or moped rentals, taxi cabs MORE INFORMATION City Department of Transportation Services Hot Line — 523-CITY

Rental car companies and tour bus firms are at the peak of the summer tourist season and say they will have little to offer if city buses stop rolling.

Many will be looking for a way to get to work, school and errands if bus workers walk off the job Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. as threatened.

Paradise Rent-A-Car, which leases cars, mopeds and bikes, has been getting calls from people making contingency plans for next week, manager Jay LeBaron said.

"We try to give them some sort of discount," LeBaron said, offering prices starting at $140 a week for car rentals.

But he said there's not much the company can do to help residents in the middle of one of the hottest seasons for the visitor industry in many months.

"We're really busy with tourists," LeBaron said, and with Labor Day right around the corner, "we're almost sold out."

LeBaron is guessing he'll get a lot of calls if the Hawai'i Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996, which represents 1,300 city bus workers, gives a 72-hour strike notice Saturday morning.

He expects high demand for mopeds, which are less expensive to rent than cars and start at about $100 a week.

City Taxi said it anticipates more calls if there is no city bus service come Tuesday.

"It definitely will be more business for us," said company president Tom Heung. He said taxi drivers will probably work longer hours to service the extra business.

But if bus riders taking to the streets in their cars create traffic jams, it could also tie up cab drivers, and increase costs for gasoline, already at all-time highs.

Some commuters may just get around by old-fashioned shoe leather or on bikes.

"Anytime there is a transportation interruption we do have more business," said Faye Saiki, owner of The Bike Shop.

The city is in discussions with tour bus and taxi companies to devise options for city bus riders, but these be limited.

"I know the city is trying to investigate that possibility," said Gareth Sakakida, managing director of the Hawaii Transportation Association. "But it's difficult for our industry to do very much."

Tour bus operator Roberts Hawaii can only provide transportation if a bus is chartered with a specific pickup and drop-off point, said spokeswoman Sam Shenkus. The restriction makes it difficult for Roberts to serve as an impromptu commuter bus service.

Sakakida said motor coach companies don't have enough buses to cover for the TheBus fleet.

For the motor coach companies in the tourism industry, "our busy time has already started and we expect that to run through the month of September," Sakakida said. "It's going to be really difficult for the private industry to do a whole lot."

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts spokesman Jim Austin said the tourism community touts Hawai'i's bus system as one of the best in the country and often points to buses as a good way to get around during a vacation.

He said the company might tell reservations agents to recommend that visitors consider renting a car "so that there's no surprise when they get here."

Rex Johnson, executive director of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, said he does not expect a bus strike to have a large impact on tourism.

"There would be some ancillary effects but probably not something that we could do much in the way of preparation," Johnson said.

Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at kyamanouchi@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2470.