HONOLULU — Honolulu’s new rail transit system was heavily used during its introductory period of free ridership, but numbers dropped significantly when paid rides began, Hawaii News Now reports.
Some 71,722 passengers rode the Skyline automated light rail system from its debut on June 30 through July 4, including 18,108 on Independence Day, according to a Honolulu press release.
But on July 5, the first day with single-ride fares of $3 (and a cap of $7.50 per day for those using fare cards), ridership dropped to 1,245. The city and county’s Department of Transportation Services has estimated average weekday ridership will be between 8,000 and 10,000 after a full year of service.
Skyline has opened with a 10.75-mile, nine-station segment of what is planned as an 18.9-mile, 19-station system [see “Honolulu rail system to debut …,” Trains News Wire, June 30, 2023]. A second segment is under construction. Hawaii News Now reports that the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation will open bids next summer on the final 4-mile segment, with CEO Lori Kahikina says she is also asking bidders to offer an estimate to build to the Ala Moana Center, which was planned as the southeastern terminus of a 22-mile system before the route was cut back because of costs.
Skyline operates from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
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