Why is this newspaper repeatedly raising the issue of whether fare revenues to ride the Skyline rail will cover operating costs?
First, fare revenues cover bus and rail transit, so they should not be considered separately. Second, even with the expected increase in public transit ridership, rail revenues were never expected to cover its operating costs.
This newspaper reported in 2015 that the state estimated ridership would cover about 35% to 40% of the operating cost (“Rail operating cost rises by $13M,” Star-Advertiser, May 25, 2015). This is typical, according to the Federal Transit Administration, and it should not be news to the people of Hawaii.
Instead, we should focus on the value of the rail — changes in transportation habits and expectations, less dependence on personal vehicles and more — and decide if that is worth the cost to all of us to build and operate it as part of an integrated public transit system.
Travis Idol
Downtown Honolulu
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