by Andrew Walden

Honolulu Bill 42, now before the County Council, would deregulate taxi fares so local cab companies can more effectively compete with Uber/Lyft. 

The five testimonies before the Council Infrastructure, Transportation and Technology (ITT) Committee November 19, 2025, were unanimous in support.

Dale Evans owner of Charley’s Taxi outlined the history::

After 80 years (1945) of the city’s taxi rate regulation and 11 years (2014) since Lyft and Uber opened in Honolulu with no rate regulations, it is time to end the city’s price fixing and level the playing field for the taxicab industry.

In mid-2014, Lyft came to Honolulu and Uber followed later that year with App only to receive customer orders.

In 2016 the Legislature and Council enacted Transportation Network Company (TNC) legislation, exempting TNC from rate regulations.  This legislation ignored Charley's having more dispatch technologies than TNCs.

By 2018 TNC laws prohibit TNC using taxicabs, limousines and for-hire vehicles but the City and state both fail to enforce this ban. TAXI-TNCs use the TNC rates throughout day/night for surge pricing and use the Taxi rate when TNCs are low-balling rates.  TAXI/TNCs make more trips/revenues than Taxis.

Charley's drivers and company obey the law and do not operate as TAXI-TNCs and therefore make less trips/revenues. Repeal of taxi rate regulations will level the playing field, allowing the taxi industry to expand services and to survive unfair TNC competition.

Ted Kefalas of Grassroot Institute explained:

“Bill 42 (2025), CD1 would place taxicabs on the same playing field as transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft, which are not subject to city price controls.“

Max Sword wrote: 

“Taxicabs are being run and operated with one hand tied behind it’s back, compared to TNCs, operating as Uber and Lyft.”

Introduced April 30, 2025, Bill 42 has worked its way through the council process without a single ‘nay’ vote.  The ITT committee reported out on Third Reading and the Bill now returns to the Council for a final vote.  If approved, Bill 42 will next go to Mayor Blangiardi's desk. 

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LINK: Honolulu Legislative Documents -- Bill 42 Relating to Taxicabs

2023: Taxi Rates: Council should repeal price fixing law

2018: Uber Caldwell: Level the Playing Field for Everybody Except HandiVan