Flat Rate Proposed for Taxis from Airport to Waikiki

The Honolulu City Council is discussing the creation of a flat rate that taxis would charge passengers when driving from the Honolulu International Airport to Waikiki.  According to the Council, hotels in Waikiki have been receiving numerous complaints from tourists about how much they are being charged by taxicab companies and would like to know up front how much the cost would be. Outrigger Enterprises executive, Max Sword, commented, "The point is, when the tourists get off a plane, they (will) know how much it costs to go to Waikiki. All we're saying is that we would like to see a cap so that when the tourists get off (the airplane), they know exactly how much they're going to be paying."

Currently, the maximum allowable metered rates for taxi companies are $3.50 for the first one-eighth of a mile and 45 cents for each additional one-eighth mile or 45 seconds of waiting, from $3.10 for the first one-eighth mile and 40 cents for each additional one-eighth mile or 45 seconds of waiting.  However, if there is heavy traffic, the fees could get quite high and many tourists feel that they are getting taken advantage of. City Councilman Stanley Chang, states that he supports the bill and added, "I think we can all relate to the convenience and certainty of having a flat rate when we travel around the world and not being concerned about getting ripped off or taken for a ride."  The City Council Budget Committee has already given their preliminary approval for Bill 54, but it will now go before the full City Council for their approval.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 9-30-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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