The economics of Hawaii’s boat people

If I ever decide to travel from Honolulu to Barbers Point, I will become one of Hawaii’s boat people, and hitch a ride on TheBoat, Oahu’s new intra-island ferry service. I’m not too sure what I’d do at Barber’s Point, but the experience might be memorable. Or not.

City spokesperson Bill Brennan says 10,000 people have used TheBoat to travel from Barber’s Point on West Oahu to Honolulu at Aloha Tower. Two boats are used to ferry passengers back and forth. A one-way fare is $2.00, however, a monthly pass is only $40 for adults. Discounts are available for seniors, youths, and those with disabilities.

Boat people math is interesting. 10,000 boat people in six weeks. That’s over 238 people per day. Roundtrip, or one-way? Brennan won’t say, but numbers being what they are, it’s probably a total, including roundtrip riders.

That really means only 5,000 boat people have used TheBus, since each gets counted twice; coming and going. Or, is it going and then coming? Whatever it is, the numbers get more interesting on examination.

5,000 boat people in six weeks is less than 120 per day, which is impressive given that TheBoat holds just less than 150 passengers. Of course, there are two boats, which means 60 passengers one way with a capacity of about 150 for each boat. Not so good, eh?

Even at maximum capacity, the economics of shuttling passengers back and forth may not make much sense. On average, the city may rake in about $1.75 per passenger (including discounts), perhaps as much as $15,000 during the first six weeks of usage.

At full capacity, the six daily trips from Barber’s Point to Honolulu and back again would mean 894 daily passengers, at an approximate average of, say $1.75 each, is barely $1,500 per day in total revenue.

Perhaps a few questions are in order? What does it cost to run TheBoat on a daily basis? How much of the cost is subsidized? Since boat people don’t use their cars to travel to and from Honolulu, how much is lost in gasoline taxes per passenger?

See? This could be fun. More questions: Does the city plan to conduct an environmental impact study? Am I the only one concerned about invasive species from Barber’s Point? Where’s the outrage?

One more question. Why isn’t TheBoat called ‘TheFerry’ instead? Based on the reaction of some people to the Hawaii SuperFerry, that’s one question easily answered.