Posted on: Tuesday, February 4, 2003

EDITORIAL
Private transit proposal is not a long-term fix

Private operators of taxi-cabs, tour buses, trolleys and shuttles want to help unclog Honolulu's traffic congestion by offering affordable quasi-public services.

As a public-private partnership, they reckon they could use vehicles that are currently underused or unused to satisfy public transportation needs.

For example, by offering a cheaper, government-subsidized service, taxis could operate as shuttles in neighborhoods where bus service isn't working well.

Moreover, unused tour buses could augment the bus service at peak or off-hours, and trolleys and shuttles could pick up riders through busy areas such as Waikiki.

Given O'ahu's transportation challenge, all options are welcome. But we do have some reservations about this idea.

For one thing, it paves the way for privatized mass transit, which can lead to higher fares.

More worrisome is that this proposal is not really a dependable alternative. The demand for private transit services goes up and down according to the season and the time of day.

Right now this proposal makes sense because ridership isn't high. But what happens when Honolulu emerges from this slump and the tourist count goes back up?

Do we just abandon these public services?

We can't blame private transportation providers for feeling threatened by the prospect of a widespread mass transit system used by residents and tourists alike. And we can see how they could become a backup service in our overall public transportation mix.

Still, if a mass transit system is efficient, extensive and affordable, everyone uses it. Look at the New York City Subway, the Paris Metro, the London Underground and Berlin's Strassenbahn, or tramway.

Ultimately, that's what we want, too, not a hodgepodge of buses, cabs, trolleys and shuttles.