Tap and Ride with Holomua

LIHUE — No more fumbling for cash because now commuters can tap and ride with Holomua.

This week, the Kauai Bus introduced a new and efficient method for passengers to pay for and access public transportation by launching the reusable Holomua Card. This innovative smart card offers a convenient solution for riders to board the bus with ease.

The Holomua Card is reusable and can be reloaded with funds as often as the rider needs, making it easier for commuters to ensure they have the exact bus fare to ride. Additionally, riders can manage their card through an online portal or in person at the Transportation Agency, Walmart, any 7/11 location island-wide, and all Longs Drugs locations.

New Mexico resident Williams Matthews, backpacking through the island and waiting for transportation at the skate park in Kapaa, noted that, compared to other states he has visited, the island’s public bus system has been a convenient means of transit. However, he expressed his concerns about finding an alternative mode of transportation on Sunday.

“The bus is good it’s reasonably fair and it’s really good customer service,” said Matthews, “It will be a little tough Sunday, I think they should have Sunday service. I would hope they try to turn on Sunday service, even if it was two or three trips a day, it would really help,” he said.

Bus driver Reggie Berry, operating the 60 shuttle, stated that the introduction of the mobile application has significantly facilitated the onboarding process for residents and visitors. He kindly provided several tips to ensure that all riders are informed about the new advantages of the application and the card.

“It’s been smooth, it’s helped people out,” said Berry. “For example, if you buy your bus pass late, you still get your full thirty days. At first, if you bought your bus pass in the middle of the month, you could only use it for two weeks until the first, but now you get the full thirty days no matter when you buy it.

“Sometimes people don’t have cash, and now you don’t have to worry about that, and you get a transfer on the same ticket too, so it’s pretty good,” said Berry.

The launch of the application in January and the newly implemented tap card now provide passengers with two convenient options for fare payment and funds management, allowing individuals to purchase fares conveniently.

Ryan Robbins, a twenty-year resident of Kapaa, however, expressed frustration with the local bus system, citing lengthy wait times, operational challenges, and the absence of the Sunday service for nearly two years, he noted, “The issue with the system is that not all buses are equipped with the scanner, and the buses are not always on schedule,” he said.

“So you still have to show them the app, and the day pass is like a scratcher ticket, so the problem is that when you have it in your pocket, it scratches other days and invalidates it.

“The last bus on the North Shore leaves at 9:15 p.m., so if you’re a worker leaving work after 10 p.m., what are you supposed to do? I know there is a bus driver shortage, but they need to pay these drivers more and get more drivers so that we can go from every thirty minutes instead of every hour of waiting.

“The County should also have working overnight buses, I mean, c’mon, there’s no excuse not to have a way home that late,” he said.

TGI contacted the County’s office to request an update regarding the absence of Sunday service; however, no response was received.

Holomua cards and the Kauai Bus e-tickets app are now available. For more information about the Kauai Bus and its new mobile ticketing system, visit the Transportation Agency’s website at www.kauai.gov/transportation.

To view all bus schedules, visit www.kauai.gov/BusSchedules. Riders can also visit the Kauai Bus office at 3220 Hoolako Street in Lihue for a Holomua card.
Source: The Garden Island