Sometime in the future — the near future, we hope — Honolulu will have an integrated public transportation system, with TheBus, rail and paratransit services working seamlessly together for the convenience of the rider.

The fares would be uniform and not too expensive. The payment card would be easy to use. And a rider would be able to get from Point A to Point B quickly and smoothly, even with transfers.

In an early step toward that goal, the City Council has begun consideration of two bills related to fares. Both would raise them, albeit modestly — a necessary concession to the increased cost of running the system. One of them, Bill 89, sets up a fare structure applicable to both the bus and rail.

Under Bill 89, an adult single ride would increase by 25 cents, to $3; monthly passes by $10, to $80; and annual passes by $110, to $880. For children ages 6 to 17 and high school students who are 18 or 19 years old, fares would rise to $1.50, $40 and $440. For seniors, people with disabilities and Medicare cardholders, fares would rise to $1.25, $20 and $45.

Bill 87 would increase the one-way fare for a Handi-Van ride to $2.25, up from $2.

The fare increases match the recommendations of the Honolulu Rate Commission, and appear to be reasonable and in line with fares in other cities. And for the bus and rail, fares would be capped once the maximum is reached, even if the rider takes more trips within the designated time period. It’s a feature that should be considered for Handi-Van riders, too.

While the fare increases may be a drop in the seemingly bottomless rail-project bucket, it’s important to keep fares within reach of all riders, including the lowest-income ones.

A payment card (currently called Holo) allows riders to load money on the card via the internet, phone or at specific locations — including, eventually, at rail stations. This is common technology in other cities, and for most riders, it’s more convenient than the various paper passes now in use. Those passes are expected to be phased out eventually, and plenty of guidance should be provided to help customers make the transition.

As important will be the city’s management of the transit system, ensuring that the transit modes and routes fit together to best serve the customer (and that the careening rail project doesn’t implode). To that end, the mayor-elect, Rick Blangiardi, will need a director of transportation services who has experience and vision to guide public transportation at this critical time. Good luck.