Waikiki residents voice concerns over TheBus route changes

Residents say reduced service has made public transportation difficult to access

Apr. 13, 2026 at 10:05am

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An extremely blurred, out-of-focus photograph showing the silhouettes of people waiting at a bus stop, with soft, warm pools of light and color creating an abstract, dreamlike composition.As Waikiki residents struggle with reduced bus service, the hazy, atmospheric scene captures the inconvenience and frustration of navigating an unreliable public transportation system.Honolulu Today

Waikiki residents have expressed frustration over the elimination of bus routes, redrawn routes, eliminated bus stops, and longer intervals between buses in their neighborhood over the past 10 years. They say these changes have made public transportation increasingly inconvenient and difficult to use, with TheBus no longer adequately serving the needs of Waikiki residents. The letter writer stands in solidarity with Kaimuki residents who have also experienced the loss of an essential bus route, and calls for the Department of Transportation Services to better focus on residents' usage and needs when making changes to TheBus service.

Why it matters

Reliable and accessible public transportation is crucial for residents, especially in densely populated neighborhoods like Waikiki. The erosion of TheBus service in the area over the past decade has left many Waikiki residents struggling to get around, highlighting the need for the city to prioritize the transportation needs of local communities.

The details

According to the letter, Waikiki residents have experienced more than 10 years of changes to TheBus service, including eliminated routes, redrawn routes, eliminated bus stops, and longer intervals between buses and transfers. These changes have made public transportation increasingly inconvenient and difficult to use, to the point that TheBus no longer adequately serves the needs of Waikiki residents.

  • Over the past 10 years, Waikiki residents have experienced changes to TheBus service.

The players

Cassandra L. Pinnick

A Waikiki resident who wrote the letter expressing concerns about the changes to TheBus service in the neighborhood.

Juanita C. Liu

A Kaimuki resident who previously wrote a letter to the Star-Advertiser about the elimination of an essential bus route in her neighborhood.

Department of Transportation Services

The city agency responsible for managing TheBus and making decisions about routes and service changes.

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What they’re saying

“We in the Waikiki neighborhood have experienced more than 10 years of TheBus service erosion: eliminated routes, redrawn routes, eliminated bus stops, longer intervals between buses and transfers between routes have become the norm. These changes are inconvenient and, for many, difficult to the point that TheBus no longer serves Waikiki residents.”

— Cassandra L. Pinnick, Waikiki resident

What’s next

The Department of Transportation Services will need to review the concerns raised by Waikiki residents and consider ways to restore more reliable and accessible bus service to the neighborhood.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the importance of public transportation for local communities and the need for city agencies to closely monitor and respond to the evolving transportation needs of residents, especially in densely populated areas like Waikiki.