Be Informed
Frequently Asked Questions - All FAQs
The local General Excise and Use Tax (GET) surcharge for rail, which is a half-percent surcharge on goods and services purchased on Oahu, has been collected since 2007. The surcharge will continue through 2027. This will yield $4.8 billion for the project. Another $1.55 billion has been awarded to HART by the Federal Transit Administration. The remaining funds will come from other federal programs and locally generated revenue, such as interest on funds on deposit.
Yes. There are four park-and-ride facilities planned. They will be at the East Kapolei, UH-West Oahu, Pearl Highlands and Aloha Stadium stations, providing 4,100 spaces combined. The city bus routes will be reconfigured to provide shuttle-like services to the rail stations from nearby communities and high-use facilities, like hospitals and shopping centers. In addition, each station will have drop-off areas, including areas for the Handi-Van that comply with all requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Security considerations include security patrols and closed-circuit camera monitoring of stations, trains, and park-and-ride facilities. Transit operations personnel will have both audio and visual communication with passengers. The elevated guideway, situated above ground-level hazards, provides an added measure of safety, minimizing the risk of vehicle collisions and pedestrian accidents. Each station boarding area will contain platform safety gates to prevent falls off the platform onto the lower track area.
Each four-car train can carry a passenger load of more than 800 people, which is greater than the load capacity of 10 City buses.
Rail will cost about half as much to operate and maintain than TheBus. The cost of operating and maintaining TheBus system will increase much faster each year than it will for rail.
$1.55 Billion of the project cost will be paid for by the federal government.
Yes, the train will make traveling to the airport quick and easy, without the hassle of traffic and parking. For example, to take the train from the downtown station to the airport will take just 12 minutes on the congestion-free elevated system, which is on time, every time.
Rail transit will be used to commute to and from work, and school; to go to shopping malls, the airport, and entertainment venues such as Aloha Stadium. (See our interactive route map for more details.)
Ridership is estimated at 119,600 weekday passenger trips by the year 2030.
Items allowed on the trains include: bicycles, surfboards, wheelchairs, strollers, coolers, and luggage.