HONOLULU (KHON2) — The first trains of the morning rolled out before sunrise, carrying a mix of commuters and first-time riders, all now a part of history.
“It’s pretty full, so I’m kinda shocked that a lot of people woke up early,” said Kiana Kawelo, a first-time Skyline rider.
For the first time, Skyline now glides past the airport, Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Lagoon Drive and into the Kalihi Transit Center.
“What does this second segment mean for commuters on Oahu? You know, all this morning I’ve been talking with who’s riding it and where are they coming from; and basically, we’re now into areas where there’s lots of activity,” said Roger Morton, DTS Director. “Here, we’re coming into Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam; there’s 30,000 people in the Joint Base Pearl Harbor area.”
The new airport station is one of the most anticipated stops in this segment; and for the first time, travelers can take their luggage on the bus and onto the Skyline.
A big convenience for Tetsu Hashizawa, who was catching a flight to Tokyo this morning.
“I think this is much more reliable, and look at this. Very beautiful, and scenery is really great as well. So I like it,” said Hashizawa.
DTS Deputy Director Jon Nouchi said the payoff is rolling in after years of construction, planning and testing to get this far.
“We know that some people have already told us that we’re now saving them two hours of commute, and that is a value you cannot calculate and compare against cost,” said Nouchi.
There were a few first-day wrinkles. One train was taken offline, forcing passengers to take a different one.
“We had to get off inconveniently two times. We ran late; and the doors, that was my biggest concern. The doors closing on us cause the door to actually hit me,” said Tiare Laryea, a Skyline passenger from Waianae.
Some bus drivers are adjusting to the new routes; but overall, officials say operations ran smoothly.
Skyline is now operating with expanded hours and trains running every 10 minutes.