Honolulu announces free week of fares for TheBus

News Release from City and County of Honolulu, August 11, 2022

HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) announces a fare free week for TheBus, starting August 22 to August 26 2022. The free fare week is timed with the back-to-school jam, when most O‘ahu private schools and University of Hawai‘i campuses start the new school year.

“I’m excited to be offering bus service to our communities for free, especially when the cost of gas, inflation and the COVID pandemic has taken a toll on Hawai‘i families”, says DTS Director Roger Morton. “I encourage previous transit users to return to TheBus and hope that non-transit riders will take this opportunity to try out TheBus.”

Residents who would like to take advantage of the free fare week will need a functioning HOLO card to board TheBus. In addition to the free fare week, DTS will also be giving out free HOLO cards, from August 15th to August 26th, 2022. HOLO cards can be picked up for free during these dates at select retailers, TheBus Pass Office, or select Satellite City Halls. Visit www.holocard.net/where-to-obtain-load-a-card/ for card locations nearest you. The HOLO card functions as the main fare payment for TheBus and will be the primary payment method for rail. Registering your HOLO card unlocks the full capabilities of the card including auto-load, protection against theft, transfer of funds from a lost or stolen card to a new card, and linking and managing HOLO cards within your family.

During a hearing on Wednesday, the Honolulu City Council unanimously approved Resolution 22-171, which allowed for the suspension of fares to promote ridership of public transportation. 

“I am excited to join the City Council, Administration, and O‘ahu Transit Services to announce free fare week on TheBus, which was unanimously approved by the Council yesterday”, said Councilmember Radiant Cordero, Chair of the Transportation, Sustainability, and Health Committee. “Through this action, we provide our residents with the opportunity to vary their regular commuting methods and experience our excellent, award-winning public transportation system. I am hopeful this free fare week will introduce new riders to the convenience, benefits, and overall enjoyment of utilizing TheBus more often in everyday activities”.

For more information on routes and timetables for TheBus, please visit www.thebus.org or call 808-848-5555.

For more information on the HOLO card, registration assistance or card locations, please visit www.holocard.net or call 808-768-4656.

—PAU—

SA: City to suspend bus fares during back-to-school rush to increase ridership