Testifiers and users of TheHandi-Van voiced support for increasing the fare to ride, but said it should not be implemented now when many people are struggling from the COVID-19 outbreak in Honolulu.

The Honolulu Rate Commission on Tuesday continued to discuss a possible fare increase for TheHandi-Van, the city’s “paratransit” serv­ice that accommodates people with disabilities.

The fare would increase to $2.25 from $2.

The last fare increase for TheHandi-Van was in 2001, and city officials have said it’s needed to cover the increasing costs for the serv­ice, which more people are using.

Roger Morton, president and general manager of Oahu Transit Services, reported to the commission that TheHandi-Van provided just over 1.2 million trips in 2019.

But many of the riders are on low or fixed incomes, and have said they wouldn’t be able to afford a fare increase.

On Tuesday some said a possible increase should be put on hold.

“I don’t think right now is the right time for the rate increase,” said Shuryl Nelson, executive director of the Statewide Independent Living Council. “I do think there needs to be an increase since there hasn’t been one since 2001.”

Donald Sakamoto, president of Citizens for a Fair ADA Ride, shared Nelson’s sentiment.

“We’re in a pandemic right now, a recession. … People on fixed incomes … it’s hard for them to afford any increase right now,” he said.

Both Nelson and Sakamoto are TheHandi-Van users.

Other testifiers echoed their testimonies, and some suggested that if a fare increase were implemented, riders be given a year or two notice first.

Cheryl Soon, chairwoman of the rate commission, said a fare increase is just one possible option proposed by the city’s Department of Transportation Services to recover the operating costs to operate TheHandi-Van.

Morton reported that the revenue from fares in 2019 only covered about 4.5% of the operating costs.

Soon said the commission may vote on increasing the fare as early as its next meeting on Oct. 13, but she said she won’t call a vote until the commission is comfortable enough to do so.

“We’re in a phase where we’re gathering input from the city and from the agencies and from the riders,” she said, adding there isn’t even a proposal from the commission yet.

In May the commission agreed on a plan that would increase fares for TheBus, although it’s up to the Honolulu City Council to act on the recommendations.

Soon hopes that the members of the current Council, who would be more knowledgeable in public transportation issues, act on the commission’s recommendations quickly. Five of the nine Council members are term-limited and set to leave the Council in January.

If the new fares are approved through a bill, it would take the Council months to approve it. Soon said if the Council acts now, it also might be able to act on whatever the commission’s decision on TheHandi-Van will be.

“I think it’s a legitimate thing for this Council to take up our recommendation that we made now four months ago. If they did take it up … it would be in place by the March opening of the rail,” she said.