Updated at 1:26 p.m., Friday, November 3, 2006
Bus officials say Football Express losing riders
Advertiser Staff
The number of people riding the city's special Football Express buses has dropped steadily in recent years, and city officials are considering dropping the service next year, the city said this morning.The city Department of Transportation Services announced today that its mid-season evaluation of the Football Express program reveals ridership and revenues steadily declining over the last several years in a pattern that parallels dwindling attendance at University of Hawai`i football home games.
Football Express carries passengers on TheBus from eight locations to and from the Aloha Stadium for $3 per one-way trip. Officials said the current operating costs to provide this service have risen to almost $6 per person per one-way trip.
In a news release, City Transportation Services Director Melvin Kaku said he's very concerned about the trend of declining ridership coupled with rising costs but he provided no specific numbers of riders and costs this morning.
"I know we have some very loyal customers who enjoy the convenience of the Football Express," Kaku said. "But at this rate, it will be difficult to justify continuing the service next year."
The city plans another evaluation of cost, ridership and revenue trends. Kaku said a final decision on whether to continue the City's Football Express service next year will be made after this season ends.
If that service ends, fans would still be able to use regular buses to get to the stadium, the city said.
