EDITORIAL
'BusLink' card an idea whose time has come

Actually, Honolulu is a little slow in bringing a smart-card system to riders of TheBus, which will offer for the first time here a cash-less way to get around the island.

The city of Mumbai, India, for instance, will have the technology available to all of its bus riders early next year, ahead of Honolulu. Similar projects are at work in Singapore and Hong Kong, Europe and Australia, and for other transit systems in Mainland cities.

The smart-card system will reduce the load on bus drivers, and enable greater flexibility in fare structuring.

The "contactless" card doesn't have to be swiped like a bank card. The rider might not even take the card out of his or her wallet, but instead pass it in front of a special fare machine that deducts a specific amount from the card or the rider's account.

Indeed, it's a smart idea, and it's important that the city develop a broad range of quick and convenient ways to purchase the cards and to add funds to the accounts to make the system attractive to riders. There should be no need to stand in line.

We hope the city is prepared for some unexpected effects.

When New York City introduced its similar MetroCard in the late 1990s, riders for the first time could transfer between bus and subway without paying a second fare.

Suddenly patronage soared, especially on the buses — yet the transit agency did not add sufficient vehicles, and crowding became severe.

The switch to smart-card technology brought a dramatic drop in fares for the average New Yorker, but the cash fare has jumped 25 percent.

Data accumulated by the card readers aboard buses will be used to fine-tune information about riders and their preferences, which should lead to better service.

The "BusLink" system has lots of potential.

Let's hope the city has it up and running smoothly, and makes the most of this smart idea.