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This is sort of a continuation and variation on the posts about Lonely Wanderers on Highways 130 and 19.
1)There are so many of these people you see all the time and wonder about. What about the black gentleman who always carries a long walkling stick and wears kukuinut beads? What about the young woman I used to see pushing a grocery cart with what seemed to be all of her belongings and her 9 or 10 yr old daughter in it? (Both in Hilo town.)
2) While possibly not as generous as picking up lonely wanderers I have often stopped to pick up cruise ship passengers who set out from the cruise ship to walk to downtown Hilo but don't realize how far it is - usually I pick up older tourists but I'll stop for any who look like they're sorry they set out and now what? They are always so happy for the ride. I think it puts a nicer face on our town. Why don't the store operators or the chamber of commerce, or the county pull together to fund a free small non-stop round trip shuttle? These people are looking for the Hele-On bus that runs to and from Keokaha - not a very frequent run and not a very friendly bus driver from what I have heard. Does anyone know anything about this?
You are already doing it ... maybe take it to the next level ?
Buy a van and start a new business ... Customers are read to go 3X a week.
aloha,
pog
As per the street people, maybe also stop and talk to them too.
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Now there's a great thought, Pog. I'm surprised no one has done it yet.
Carrie
"The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it." Galadriel - LOTR
Carrie Rojo
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future..." Galadriel LOTR
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I bet some business would pay you to have you drop tourists off in front of their establishment too...
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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The Downtown Retailers have been pushing that idea around for awhile... we even did a class project looking at bringing in an electric tourist vehicle to do the harbor/banyan/downtown/beaches route... but DBA had no funds for the trial... Now there is the hourly HeleOn bus that does the same route (with the added benefit of the PKP mall, something the EV could not have done due to the HWY11 portion....)
Do know both of the downtown regulars SR is asking about... the mother/daughter: daughter is home schooled & the mother takes her to many of the cultural & scientific events in the Downtown area & at the University
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Maybe Dan will be good enough to guesstimate the average yearly insurance cost per vehicle and overall liability cost for the passeneger transport business. That may be key factor.
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Actually the downtown association did do something like this a few years ago, but the guy that owned the van would only drop them off in front of his wife's store (no longer in business)
We have lots of cabs and they do the circles of picking up people. Also people can arrange rides and private tours through the cruising websites, by passing the legal tour companies.
Bottom line we need something better than Hele On to welcome all of the visitors and take them to a variety of shuttle stops. A trolley or something like Kona has would be great.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
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Isn't this part of what the sampans did years ago?
David
Ninole Resident
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I'm pretty sure any new transportation vendors need a PUC(?) license and will meet with opposition from the cab drivers.
Stoneface
Right Greg,
If you buy a vehicle and pick up people to give them rides, for money, you are essentially operating a cab service. If you take them around to see the sights you are operating a guided tour. Which requires a license and plenty of people are already doing it. The cruise passengers have so many options thrown at them. If they are walking it's because they didn't do their homework on where they were stopping and they are cheap. Meanwhile the people who did their homework know what they want to do when they come off the ship and have booked a tour or a car, or pick up a tour at the port or outside the port. Or call a cab. Lots of options.
The shuttle in Kailua-Kona serves a whole lot of visitors staying up and down Ali'i, not just cruisers. I don't think we have enough demand although sure it would be nice.
