Maui County Adept Committee Meeting: Bill 95 – Fare-Free Bus Pass Expansion (July 2, 2026)

The Adept Committee of the Maui County Council met on July 2, 2026, to consider Bill 95 (2026), which aims to promote Maui Bus ridership by expanding the Fare-Free Bus Pass program. The bill, introduced by Chair Gabe Johnson, expands eligibility to students of any age, county employees, and increases the income threshold from 200% to 300% of the federal poverty level. It also authorizes the Transportation Director to suspend fare enforcement for up to 14 days per fiscal year for special events or emergencies. After public testimony with no testifiers, the committee deliberated and voted unanimously to recommend passage on first reading.

Discussion Items

• Chair Johnson outlined the bill’s provisions: expanding fare-free passes to students of any age, county employees, and those up to 300% of the poverty level; and allowing the director to suspend fares for up to 14 days per fiscal year for promotions or emergencies, with a 14-day notice to council unless impractical.
• Director Mark Takamori (Department of Transportation) expressed full support for the bill, noting it aligns with climate action goals and provides flexibility for promotional events such as the Maui County Fair, Earth Day, or Tri-Transit Day.
• Vice Chair Senancy asked about bus capacity during special events; Director Takamori stated current buses would be used without increased frequency, and data would inform future adjustments.
• Councilmember Cook inquired about backup drivers and adaptability; the director confirmed existing buffer drivers and that the department would plan for higher demand as needed.
• Chair Lee requested budget details: the total transit budget is approximately $27 million, with 13% from the highway fund and the rest from general fund/grants. The estimated daily fare revenue loss from fare suspension is $2,806. Ridership has increased 2-3% over the prior year, with growth in commuters, paratransit, and fixed route.
• Councilmember Paulton expressed full support and suggested expanding the program to all riders, but acknowledged funding challenges. She proposed seeking funds from other sources (e.g., EPNS, human services) and marketing partnerships (e.g., with Maui University or social media influencers) to promote fare-free days.
• Councilmember Batangan supported the bill but disagreed that cost is the primary barrier to ridership; he emphasized frequency and route reach as more critical. He questioned the impact of raising the income threshold to 300% on operations and clarified that the fare suspension applies system-wide (not route-specific) based on the text. He also noted the removal of “director’s designee” language and requested its retention to allow MEO to continue processing applications.
• Councilmember Hodgins had no further questions and expressed support.
• Chair Johnson elaborated on the interaction with federal funds: making fixed route free would require free paratransit, which could increase costs due to additional buses and drivers. He cited Honolulu’s example, where free fare days led to a 12% increase over the previous week and 25% increase over the same week the previous year, with paratransit ridership rising 18%.
• Councilmember Batangan asked about the triggers for fare suspension (disaster, emergency transit disruption) and whether a disaster declaration is required. Deputy Corporation Counsel Reef Snyder indicated the language is not specific about who declares, and the director clarified that any suspension would be coordinated with the managing director and mayor. Batangan requested that the director also collaborate with the council via a letter to the council chair.
• On the “designee” issue, Councilmember Batangan moved to retain the phrase; after a drafting clarification from staff (Moniz) that the code already allows subordinate officers to act, the committee agreed to keep the original language for clarity.

Key Outcomes

• The committee voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend passage of Bill 95 (2026) on first reading, with non-substantive revisions.
• The motion was made by Vice Chair Senancy, seconded by Councilmember Batangan.
• The committee agreed to retain the “director or director’s designee” language in the code to ensure MEO can continue processing fare-free pass applications.
• The meeting adjourned at 9:38 AM.