By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q. After all the senior bus pass chaos last fall — untold thousands of dollars in costs for new photo passes, and the claims that the old passes were no longer valid — the law stepped in and said it was OK to use your old passes until they expire.

Trouble was: I had already turned in my old one, which was good until July 2005.

I want to be compensated by having another year added on to my "new" bus pass.

I'd love to know how much money was spent to put photos on the passes and how many people turned in their old passes.

I also heard from a bus driver that up to 40 new drivers were hired right after the strike ended. Why was that and where did the money come from?

A. Don't worry: The expiration date on your new pass will be extended. The city will mail you a sticker with the new expiration date that you can place over the existing one. Since the city credited you with how much time was remaining on your old pass before charging you for a new one, that information will be used to calculate how many months to extend your pass.

Cheryl Soon, director of the Department of Transportation Services, said the photos were included on the new passes to protect their integrity. Old passes did not have photos because the pictures could not be taken at satellite city halls.

"Shortly after the satellite city halls began selling the senior citizen passes, the number of passes sold each month increased sharply, indicating the possibility that senior citizen passes were being purchased for individualsÊnot qualified to use the pass," Soon said. This was confirmed during the recall of bus passes when numerous pass holders under 65 tried to purchase new passes, she said.

The photos also preclude transferring the pass to an unauthorized individual, she said.

Soon also said Oahu Transit Services Inc., which operates TheBus for the city, did not hire 40 new bus drivers and is hiring only to replace drivers who retired or resigned.

Oahu Transit Services has a helpful Web site that provides everything from route maps and schedules to information about fares and bus passes.

A "what's new" section tells you about route changes and bus stop modifications. An information section offers baggage safety and riding tips, including how to take your bicycle along on a bus ride.

Need more? The Web site also has a place to leave feedback.

Do you ever get frustrated or confused trying to navigate the various layers of government? Are you looking for an answer to a simple question but can't figure out where to start? If you have a question or a problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster one of three ways:

• E-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com

• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.

Be sure to give us your name and daytime telephone number.