Hawaii Superferry pau starting this Thursday. (car rental, 2009, rental)

[hotzcatz]

It was just on the news that the courts have rescinded the ferry's permission to operate while they are working on some environmental assessment. This Thursday will be the last trip for awhile, so if your car is on an island which isn't it's usual home, you may want to get it back to it's home island before Thursday.

[melaniej65]

I am sorry that service is being 'suspended' since the Superferry has been a wonderful mode of transportation for my family. I am in a power wheelchair and it is horrendously expensive to rent a wheelchair van (when they are available) on Maui.

The whole airline experience is difficult for me (and painful) since I have to transfer to an aisle chair to the airline seat. Forget using the bathroom since they are too small for my husband to help me transfer to the toilet- so the Superferry was so comfortable and convenient. I was looking forward to service to the Big Island since we have family there also. Sigh.

[Jungjohann]

Was kind of wondering when the powers that be, aka Young Brothers, would get their way. I think they'll be back though, wonder if they were actually making any money though?

Aloha and okolemaluna

[Mar0]

200 jobs were lost...how sad.

[Woody7]

Well at least all the Eco Lawyers from Marin Country will, and to the end of the case will collect $800+ an hour intel it's settled. People who are rejoicing about this sham would benefit from reading what has become of the Eco movement by one of the founders of Green Peace. greenspirit.com
None of these cases has anything to do with protecting nature.

[Jungjohann]

This whole Superferry controversy has nothing to do with the enviornment. If that were the case, then the whale watching boats would be more strictly regulated, Matson ships would be looked at more closely in regards to their impact on the whales, as would cruise liners coming and going to Hawaii. The Superferry upset the status quo, Young Brothers, Hawaiian Airlines, all the car rental companies, the Superferry, which makes way too much sense when travelling interisland with family and your car, rubbed those guys the wrong way, and they have been working on it's demise from the get go. Hopefully the "Good Old Boys" won't win on this one.

Aloha and okolemaluna

[hotzcatz]

Before they started operations, the legislature made a special law so the ferry could operate without getting all the paperwork done first. The court decided it is illegal to make special laws for the benefit of one entity - which is as it should be and rescinded the special legislature. The ferry has had all this extra time, almost a year, to get the paperwork done. I don't know why they didn't finish the paperwork like they were supposed to be doing, but from what I can tell (which isn't much since they never showed up on this island so I haven't been paying strict attention) most of their difficulties were ones of attitude.

There have been quite a few attempts to put in an inter-island ferry service over the years. Sometimes the ocean eats them, sometimes they weren't profitable.

[KoaKine]

Just wondering if there has been any movement on getting the thing back running?

[whynot?]

No. There's a letter posted on the Superferry's web site Hawaii Superferry and they took the Alakai back to Mobile, Alabama at the end of March. Aloha, Superferry - News - Starbulletin.com

[KoaKine]

thanks