Waikiki-Kaimuki trolley hours cut
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
To extend the life of the Kaimuki-Kapahulu-Waikiki Trolley, its hours of operation have been cut and the fare structure simplified to stretch a city subsidy and allow the service to run through September.
The trolley was expected to use up this year's $225,000 city subsidy by July, leaving about 600 people a day searching for other transportation, said Ginny Meade, executive director of the Greater East Honolulu Community Alliance.
"It is a direct and convenient connection between Waikiki and Kaimuki," Meade said. "A lot of commuters along the route use the trolley as well as University of Hawai'i and Chaminade University students."
The open-air trolley has been operating from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The hours will be reduced to 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday effective Thursday.
A $2 all-day pass has been eliminated, so all adults will pay $1 per ride. City-bus pass holders will continue to pay 50 cents per trolley ride, but students and disabled customers who paid 25 cents will have their fare doubled.
The $25 monthly passes are still available.
The trolley service, operated by E Noa Tours, runs from Royal Hawaiian Avenue in Waikiki to Koko Head Avenue in Kaimuki with stops along Kapahulu Avenue, at UH and Chaminade.
The trolley has been paid for in part through the city Department of Transportation Services in the hope it would become more self-sufficient. But in a tight budget year, the administration decided to cut money for fiscal year 2005, which starts July 1.
City Councilman Charles Djou wants the city to use $240,000 from its transportation budget for fiscal 2005 to keep the trolley running for another year. The trolley has been subsidized since its inception in 2000. Djou said TheBus also is subsidized and the trolley supplies a service to the community.
The service started in 2000 and had 2,800 riders its first month. Ridership was up to 10,000 people a month in February last year and thanks partly to the strike at TheBus bringing a larger awareness of the trolley service, 19,989 people rode the trolley in January, but fares have not been nearly enough to pay for the entire service.
Meade said the trolley is valuable for businesses, eases the parking crunch and gives tourists a way to explore another part of the island.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
