Every month I shell out $20 to get a bus pass to take me to school every day. It kills me that I have to actually pay to ride the bus, when by doing so I actually help out everyone else who drives to work every day.

We are not being very efficient here. Everyone knows that TheBus transit system has great potential to lower traffic and lower gas usage in Hawai'i. So why don't we make sure that more people ride the bus? The Legislature should seriously consider subsidizing the bus system to make sure that everything is running efficiently.

There are people who do not think that this plan will affect them. I know exactly what you are thinking: "Why should state taxes pay for something that I do not use?" Simple, it benefits everyone. We get free rides and you get less time on H-1 stuck in traffic.

We know that the bus will reduce traffic if more people ride, so if we make the bus free to ride then people will have a greater incentive to ride, thereby decreasing the traffic. Fewer people will need to buy gas and prices should naturally drop due to a higher supply and lower demand.

There are so many benefits to everyone that can be had if we just subsidize the transit system. Not only will current and future bus riders feel the effects of a free ride, but so will every other person in the state. So please, listen to the economics and just subsidize TheBus.