The Downtown Improvement Association held a ceremony at Pier 2 today to celebrate the unloading of its two minibuses. The 30-passenger buses will shuttle through the downtown area beginning November 26, in a six-month experiment expected to alleviate parking and traffic problems.
They are being leased by the D.I.A., according to Robert Midkiff, president, and operated under contract by Honolulu Rapid Transit Company.
“We hope the minibus will prove so successful that it will become a regular part of the H.R.T. operation,” Midkiff said. “That is our goal.”
Daytime shoppers will have their choice of two parking lots: at Honolulu International Center, which has 1,000 spaces, and at the Toyo Theatre lot, with 400 to 500 spaces near College Walk and Beretania Street.
These will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
Minibuses will leave each lot every 15 minutes. Downtown stores will validate parking tickets, so the parking will be free from shoppers. Others will pay 25 cents for four hours. …
Robert S. Craig, D.I.A. executive director, said a three-times-a-day turnover at Honolulu International Center would divert 3,000 cars from the downtown area.
“We already have raised adequate funds from property owners, bands, and trust companies to take care of anticipated losses during the six-month operation,” he said. “We are going to learn whether the concept of peripheral parking can be used in Waikiki or anywhere else with the minibus.”…
The minibuses, which cost about $15,000 delivered in Honolulu, are being leased from the Equipment Leasing Company of Hawaii.
Riders may be giving to charity instead of paying fares when the six-month experimental operations begins November 26.
The 10-cent fares can’t be charged until the Public Utilities Commission holds a hearing November 29. So the P.U.C. will be asked for permission to collect voluntary fares, with the understanding that all money will be divided between the Christmas funds of the Hono-
lulu Star-Bulletin and the Honolulu Advertiser, according to the D.I.A.
