There’s exactly six hours until the 12:01 AM strike deadline. (Ignore the timestamp – my web server’s clock is off.)

The Teamsters resumed negotiations today at 2:30 PM, but a resolution is doubtful. According to leader Mel Kahele, “We actually don’t believe we’re going to be able to settle unless the company decides on withdrawing their so-called 38 takebacks.” (Star-Bulletin, no permalink available.)

Bus fare increases advanced through City Council. A final vote won’t be until September 25^th. (Advertiser, no permalinks.)

Teamsters Union and OTS negotiators are scheduled to resume talks today, and will probably continue late into the night. Many people will not know the outcome until the morning news tomorrow.

In preparation for tomorrow’s threatened bus strike, urban buses that begin operation after 11 PM, and rural buses that begin after 10 PM, have been cancelled for tonight.

At Honolulu Hale, one of the current proposals is dropping monthly and yearly bus passes, and instead charging all riders a 75 cent fare (Honolulu Advertiser, August 25^th, 2003). This is a dollar less than current pay-as-you-go fares for adults, but the current discount from bus passes means daily commuters would be paying approximately $7.50 more per month for the same level of service – with no promises that the daily rate will stay the same. (That figure also doesn’t account for the proposed transfer fees.)

More news will be posted as it becomes available.