HONOLULU -- The Honolulu bus system is on the verge of using satellite technology to make taking the bus a lot more pleasant and convenient.

The system already offers GPS tracking of buses on the Internet and will soon offer even easier access to more riders via cell phones.

Juanita and Len Wallace of Waipahu ride the bus everyday, and spend a lot of time waiting. "Sometimes it takes a long time," Juanita said.

Like most of the bus riders KITV spoke to Wednesday, the Wallaces said they weren't even aware that a cellular phone with an Internet connection could predict the arrival time of their bus.

(TheBus Web Tracking)

Oahu Transit Services, operator of TheBus, has used GPS satellite technology to dispatch and track buses for about ten years. Last year, Honolulu became one of the first bus systems in the country to offer the GPS tracking to customers on the internet. Computer programmer Chad Muranaka wrote the software. “At first, I told him are you kidding me. It can't be done," Muranaka said. It took him about two years, working on-and-off between his other duties at OTS.

Muranaka said he uses the system himself on his commute from Kapolei. At an Alakea Street bus stop in front of the District Court building, riders said they were amazed by the accurate arrival predictions generated by the GPS system.

“Great! I would use it,” said Juanita Wallace.

The bus company is now testing the next phase of the GPS tracking system. It would provide access to GPS tracking for many more riders who don't have portable Internet service. They could use a regular cell phone to get an estimated arrival time for their bus.

Student Tanya Cooper said that information would have saved her 15 wasted minutes Wednesday.

“I could have ate,” Cooper joked.

Bus managers said they are still testing the cellular phone hot line, and hope to have it ready for riders in about two months.

They said they hope it will make a lot more people willing to give the bus system a try.