As of Thursday, paper passes for Oʻahu’s public bus system are no longer available as TheBus transitions to the HOLO electronic fare card system.
Passengers will still be able to use cash to pay for one-way fares on TheBus. But monthly and one-day passes have been phased out in lieu of HOLO cards. Adult cards are available at various grocery and convenience stores across the island, as well as online.
Annual passes and reduced fare HOLO cards can be purchased at TheBus Pass Office on Middle Street. Riders may order a Youth HOLO card online.
The HOLO card can be registered under the owner’s name and loaded with money to pay for fares on TheBus and, in the future, the Honolulu rail.
HOLO cards have a daily fare-capping function, meaning no rider will be charged more than $5.50 for bus fares a day. For example, someone who takes two bus rides, a total of $5.50, will not be charged a bus fare for any more rides on the same day.
Once a registered HOLO card has reached the monthly pass fare, $70 for adults, within the current month, the card will not be charged the rest of that month. TheBus said the expanded fare-capping system will ensure that riders do not spend more than they would for a pass.
TheBus will restore transfers when riders use their HOLO card. A rider may transfer from one bus to another without paying an additional fare during a 2.5-hour period following the initial tap of the HOLO card.
The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services began installing HOLO card readers on buses in 2018.
For more information on the card and where to buy them, visit holocard.net or call 768-4656.
