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If you are not charging for the ride, you’re not a Taxicab, Tour Bus, Jitney, Charter Bus, or any other service like that.
If a business, retail trade group, community group, or a collaboration of businesses bought a van, paid a co-opted employee to drive it, adhere to the vehicle licensing, INSURANCE, and equipment regulation, not charge for the service, and picked up people for the express purpose of transporting them to the sponsors business locations as a sales and marketing campaign, the tour bus and taxicab operators don't have a leg to stand on.
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Carey, why would HWY 11 kill a chance of using an electric vehicle? The speed limit is only 35mph through there?
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Good point, Bob. I know Hilo Hattie's runs a shuttle. I think the downtown businesses would benefit from one.
The sampans indeed ran shuttle routes around town, and an old restored one could be "grandfathered " in. They charged a small fee and a new
vendor would be subject to PUC regs and restrictions.
I can't understand why the county isn't suplementing their bus routes with town shuttles. Not so much for the visitors, but for us.
Stoneface
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HeleOn has a bus that runs along the main Hilo tourist route. It is free.
If tourist do not want to take a free (still...) bus, they have the option of renting a car, using a cab, or a tour bus or one of the retailer buses that goes to a specific retailer... I doubt that more $$$$ will be available for any other option for a few years
That said, I saw one of the NEW Puna HeleOn buses today..... Nice looking...
Bob, I was responding to pog's comment:
>>> Buy a van and start a new business
which implies charging for rides ... was just pointing out there are already plenty of cabs and tours, so there really isn't some great unmet need. There may be an unmet need for FREE rides, but that wouldn't pay for the van.
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Keep in mind that there is only one cruise ship that stops here on a regular weekly schedule. The other ships are here during special or repositioning cruises which only happen certain times of the year.
The vast majority of cruiers visiting Hilo head up to the Volcano for the day, either on organized tours or in rental cars. A few will make a quick stop at Akaka Falls also. Then there is the Walmart crowd. I am not sure there are enough folks who would want to head downtown. Keep in mind, they are visiting all of the islands and spend overnights on Maui and Kauai where there is plenty of time for shopping. They can pretty much find the same stuff to buy on every island. And, food is free on the ship, so cruisers tend not to spend much on food while in ports. Unfortunately, there is no place in Hilo to sit and take in the scenery while sipping a tropical cocktail...think the Kona Inn in Kona.
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"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.)"
This sounds like Wendy. I used to see them on the Pahoa bus all the time, but haven't seen them in a few months. I wonder if they're off the island, and hope they're doing OK.
Another character I see on 130 is the guy riding a recumbent bicycle, wearing a football helmet and leather from head to toe. I can see him wanting to be protected in the event of a crash, but that must be SO hot...
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We are talking of the same mom... She did go off island before the holidays... do not know if she is back
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Well everyone sure put some great responses down for this one. Thanks everyone for helping me think about it. I don't think I have the money, time or energy to start my own free service, or to ask retailers to chip in to support one. Not this year anyhow. But I may still pick up a disorganized but tired looking couple now and then and take pity on them, giving them a ride into town. I read recently that the only people who use the words Aloha and Mahalo are tourists or in retail (maybe I read that on Punaweb?), but I will try to further the spirit of Aloha on our side of the island when possible.
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Carey, you are right, the free (and nice new) Hele On busses would be the next best thing to a real shuttle, but I really think they at least need a bus stop/welcome/visitors center at the port, like the one downtown to welcome these 1500-5,000 visitors a week to our town. The schedules should be posted there too.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
www.eastbaypotters.blogspot.com
