Improvement to the following route will take place in August:

• Route 13 (Liliha via Waikiki to UH-M?noa)
  • Restore service frequency to from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes
    

Click here to see a chart of TheBus service improvements.

The improvements previously implemented in December 2012 cost approximately $600,000 in FY2013. The 2013 changes announced on Wednesday will cost approximately $3.5 million in FY2014.

Caldwell says money for bus improvements in the current fiscal year will come from two provisional accounts, or money the city sets aside for such things as salaries and fuel.

Meanwhile, TheBus still faces several hurdles in the coming months. Among them, rising fuel prices and a 5-year contract with bus drivers that expires June 30.

About 1,450 bus and Handivan operators with Oahu Transportation Services are represented by Hawaii Teamsters Local 996.  Union president Ron Kozuma is currently traveling outside of Hawaii and was unavailable for comment Wednesday.

The operating budget for TheBus for the current fiscal year is $180,736,034, which includes both county and federal funds. In fiscal year 2012, the cost to operate the system was $180,740,959.