Department of Transportation

HONOLULU – Amended administrative rules approved today will allow for Transportation Network Companies (TNC), including Uber and Lyft, to operate at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on a permanent basis.

“The pilot program and the public hearings found there is significant support and interest in TNC services at our airports. The rules are in place to ensure there is a level playing field for all prearranged ground transportation companies,” said Jade Butay, Hawaii Department of Transportation Director.

Once the rules go into effect on August 24, any TNC licensed by the Public Utilities Commission or a county agency will be eligible to apply for a permit from the Hawaii Department of Transportation.

The rules were approved by Gov. David Ige following a series of statewide public hearings held in Honolulu, Kahului, Kona, and Lihue in late June. More than 160 individuals provided testimony on the proposed rule changes during the hearings, and an overwhelming majority of those testifiers expressed support for the changes.

This is the first time the rules for commercial services at airports have been amended since 2002, when TNCs and the technology they use did not exist.

Since December 1, 2017, Uber and Lyft have operated at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in a pilot program to test the demand for and operational feasibility of these services.

There will continue to be two designated areas on airport property that the TNCs will be able to pick up passengers at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). Both are located on the second level median curb. One pickup location is at Terminal 1 (formerly the Interisland Terminal) across from Lobby 2 and the other is located at Terminal 2 (formerly the Overseas Terminal) across from Lobby 8. Pick up locations are subject to relocation as construction at the airport proceeds.

TNC permitting and pickup operations at neighbor island airports are not yet established (passenger drop-offs are already allowed). Moving forward, HDOT will review each county’s licensing regulations pertaining to the amended administrative rules for TNCs relating to neighbor island airport pickup operations.

The revised Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 19-20.1 can be found by clicking here.

###