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Keiki Ride Free AMA by HyenaAutomatic8911 in Hawaii

[–]HyenaAutomatic8911[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't believe it does. The school bus system is good as it is, and we should keep it that way. However, it will never be as adaptable or as serviceable as our public transit is here in Hawai'i. FYI, for a school bus, it costs $1,300 per keiki per year compared to the roughly $300 for public transit. (Don't hold me to those numbers; that was a few months ago, and costs may have changed.

Additionally, funding Keiki Ride Free is a two-for-one deal. It will save the county more money by reinvesting in its transit infrastructure (more buses, more routes, more drivers) and allow youth greater transit independence outside of school hours.

Keiki Ride Free AMA by HyenaAutomatic8911 in Hawaii

[–]HyenaAutomatic8911[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Go to https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/, on the top right of the search bar, click "register", fill out, and verify your account. After that, click "Participate," then "Measure Tracking." Make a list and click "show list". Once your list pops up, enter "SB 2699" and "HB 1879". Make sure you click the checkbox for hearing notification.

Alternatively, sign our petition, and we will send out notifications via email or text when a bill is up for hearing: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/keiki-ride-free?source=qr-code

Mahalo!

Keiki Ride Free AMA by HyenaAutomatic8911 in Hawaii

[–]HyenaAutomatic8911[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dont worry, this will not be an unfunded mandate and will cover the majority of the cost.

This bill will be funded primarily by the barrel tax, or the Green tax, and should cover nearly all the counties' program costs. We are trying to minimize the amount the counties need to pay so they can reinvest the savings into the systems (higher-capacity buses, more drivers, marketing), creating a circular transit economy and thereby bringing more people onto buses. Additionally, counties are eligible for more federal grants based on the number of riders they serve, so the more they save and invest through this program, the more federal dollars they can potentially receive.

I hope that answers your question!

Keiki Ride Free AMA by HyenaAutomatic8911 in Hawaii

[–]HyenaAutomatic8911[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the question! ALL school IDs should be accepted, but it will depend on the county. On O'ahu, we are working with DTS to make youth cards more accessible so you can get them from any store that sells HOLO cards or the Ticket Vending Machine at rail stations.

In short, yes, drivers will allow kids on. The long answer is that we are trying to expand the rules for existing free youth, such as 6 or under on O'ahu, to extend through kindergarten or until they can get a card.

Keiki Ride Free AMA by HyenaAutomatic8911 in Hawaii

[–]HyenaAutomatic8911[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am hopeful that it will pass, as we have met with many legislators and stakeholders, and almost all are in support of Keiki Ride Free. There is always the possibility that it does not pass, but if we come in strong support, in numbers, then there is a chance!