Paying fares and using the city transit system

(a) A city payment card is accepted on all modes throughout the city transit system and is the sole accepted form of payment on the city rail system. The department may program and issue city payment cards for specific discounted users, including but not limited to senior citizens, youth, and persons with disabilities under § 15B-2.2 . (b) To use the city transit system, prior to boarding a city transit system vehicle or entering a designated paid fare area, a person must pay the full applicable fare or present a valid transit pass, identification card, city payment card, or other fare medium for transportation on or within the city transit system; provided that when paying a cash fare, a passenger may overpay the fare, but will not receive any change if doing so. (c) Fares for passengers of the city transit system are as established under this chapter. The department may not: (1) Charge or collect a single cash fare, transit pass fare or bus token, coupon or city payment card, which differs from the fares established or permitted under this chapter; (2) Charge or collect a fare when this chapter or adopted council resolution exempts a passenger from payment of a fare; or (3) Charge a fee for the issuance of a transit pass, unless expressly authorized under this chapter. (d) The department is authorized to establish and administer a transit voucher program that provides for the sale of transit vouchers to employers in the city. The department may establish a price for the transit vouchers consistent with the amount employers are allowed to provide each employee as a tax-free benefit for transit commuting costs pursuant to Internal Revenue Code, 26 USC § 132. Transit vouchers may be redeemed for transit passes, coupons, or any other fare medium at satellite city halls and other convenient locations in the city where transit passes, coupons, city payment cards, or any fare media are sold. (e) The department is authorized to adopt and implement a system policing plan for the city transit system, and the individual component systems, including the city bus system, city rail system, and city paratransit system, for the purpose of maintaining safety, security, and reliable service of the systems. (f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter, uniformed and nonuniformed police officers of the Honolulu police department carrying proper identification, whether on duty or not, are allowed to use the city transit system and access any city transit system facility without paying any fare. (g) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter, any authorized transit personnel while in the performance of the person’s official and authorized duties for the multimodal municipal transportation system is allowed to use the city transit system and access any city transit system facility without paying any fare.