Latest news with #Sniffen
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
REAL ID takes off smoothly
If you aren't sure whether your driver's license or state ID has a gold star in a circle, you might want to double-check your wallet before heading to the airport. Wednesday was the first day that all travelers flying domestically—including inter island—are required to show a REAL ID-compliant credential or another federally accepted form of identification, like a passport or military ID, to get through airport security. The Transportation Security Administration officially began enforcing the REAL ID Act, a federal law passed in 2005 to tighten ID standards after the 9 /11 attacks. In Hawaii, most travelers are already set. According to state Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen, about 96 % of all driver's licenses and state IDs issued here are compliant. 'The great thing is, with REAL ID starting up today, the requirements, TSA has been drilling for the past week or so to ensure that if they run into different scenarios, they're ready for the situations, ' he said at a press conference Wednesday. Sniffen said by midday, 307 travelers had arrived at Hawaii airports without REAL ID-compliant IDs. Of those, only three were denied boarding—and not because of the REAL ID rule. 'The three that were denied access weren't because their IDs were not REAL ID compliant. They came in with no ID at all, ' he said. The rest—304 people—were routed to secondary screening, a backup process that TSA has been rehearsing ahead of the enforcement deadline. Most were cleared in five to 10 minutes. While the rollout appeared largely seamless, Sniffen warned travelers to arrive early if they're unsure about their ID status or traveling with guests who may not be compliant. He also noted that most of the issues could come from visitors from other states, not local residents. Lorie Dankers, a TSA spokesperson, said travelers without compliant IDs will be allowed to fly after undergoing screening, but they'll be given a flyer explaining the new requirements and may be pulled aside. 'You're going to receive a flyer and you may receive additional screening. It's an unpredictable screening measure that passengers might be subjected to, but you are going to be allowed to fly, ' she said. Valid alternatives to a REAL ID include U.S. passports, military IDs—including those issued to dependents—Global Entry cards and foreign government-issued passports. Dankers encouraged travelers to review TSA's ID list in advance. At Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on Wednesday, many travelers reported no issues. Ivan Kuancer, who was traveling from Hilo to Honolulu to visit family, said he received his REAL ID when he renewed his license a couple of years ago. He described his travel experience as smooth and said he didn't notice anyone around him having trouble at security. Kuancer supports the initiative for safety reasons, though he acknowledged it could cause some delays. Still, he said he wasn't too worried. Others traveling through Honolulu had mixed feelings. Jennifer, a military traveler from Orange County, Calif., said she opted not to get a REAL ID, relying instead on her military ID when passing through airports. 'I chose not to get it … I am in the military, so I chose to maintain just my military identification as a process of going in and out of the airports. For me, it was like a hassle to get the REAL ID, ' she said. She and her friend Samantha Perez were connecting in Honolulu on their way to Kona. While Perez also described her own travel as smooth—she carries a passport—she expressed concern after witnessing an older woman in a wheelchair being pulled aside at security. 'There should be an exception, ' Perez said. 'She was in a wheelchair. Anybody who may have a disability has to go all the way to the DMV. You don't always have a ride, you don't always have the resources, the financial ability. It looks like it's hard enough on them as it is. It's not great.' Perez said she had never flown domestically using her passport until this trip and worried about misplacing it. 'I have a passport, but not everybody's as fortunate to be able to afford a passport, ' she said. 'Getting a new license in California can also be expensive and unaffordable for some people.' The federal law has been in the works for nearly 20 years, with multiple deadline extensions. Hawaii began issuing REAL ID-compliant licenses in 2018. With enforcement now underway, both federal and state officials say they'll continue educating the public, but travelers should expect the policy to remain in effect going forward. Sniffen said Hawaii's DMV offices have done well preparing the public in advance. With only about 30, 000 out of a million licensed drivers statewide still needing a REAL ID, he doesn't expect long lines at licensing centers—at least, not yet. Travelers are advised to check their IDs for the star in a circle indicating REAL ID compliance and to plan accordingly to ensure a smooth travel experience. ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION Adult passengers 18 and older must show valid identification at the airport checkpoint in order to travel.—REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses or other state photo identity cards issued by Department of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent ). If you are not sure if your ID complies with REAL ID, check with your state department of motor vehicles. A temporary driver's license is not an acceptable form of identification.—State-issued Enhanced Driver's License (EDL ) or Enhanced ID (EID )—U.S. passport—U.S. passport card—DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST )—U.S. Department of Defense ID, including IDs issued to dependents—Permanent resident card—Border crossing card—An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation /Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs )—HSPD-12 PIV card—Foreign government-issued passport—Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card—Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC )—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766 )—U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential—Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC )
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New bus station to be built at location of recent plane crash
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Big plans are in the works for the Old Sky Chef building on Ualena Street near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. 'We're putting out a contract in May of this year that we would award in October to move forward with construction by late this year, to demolish that building and completely erase it, get rid of it, so that we can have this place available to build a new bus facility in that area,' Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen explained. Preliminary report released for fatal Kamaka Air crash In December 2024, a Kamaka Airlines cargo plane crashed into the building shortly after take-off, killing the two young pilots onboard. The building, which is owned by the state, was built in the 1970s and has been abandoned for some time. DOT is budgeting between $2 million and $3 million for the demolition and clearing of the area. According to Sniffin, the building should be gone by early 2026, and DOT will be able to start construction on the new electric bus facility. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'The bus facility, right now, is in the Diamond Head concourse area, the area where it's going to be, so we have to move it,' he explained. 'So when we do move it, we need another area for us to service our buses and store them, so that's where it's going to be.' Sniffen said they are working with HECO to ensure the new facility has the required charging capabilities. In a statement, HECO said: 'We had preliminary discussions with the Department of Transportation about this project. At Hawaiian Electric, the growth of EV charging infrastructure is foundational to Hawaii's adoption of electrified transportation.' DOT is still using diesel buses for its Wiki Wiki bus service at the airport. A DOT spokesperson confirmed that they have ordered four electric buses but could not confirm when those buses would arrive. DOT said that the electric buses will be charged by the service provider until the new facility is finished. Check out more news from around Hawaii 'The new bus facilities are going to range from $100 million to $150 million,' Sniffen said. No word on when construction on the new bus facility is expected to be completed yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hawaiʻi residents: Get your REAL ID before May 7
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Calling all Hawaiʻi residents. If you haven't updated to a REAL ID yet, now is the time to do so because you only have one week left. Starting May 7, all travelers will need a REAL ID to fly within the United States and to enter certain federal facilities. As REAL ID deadline looms, here's what happens if you don't have one Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said this is the final extension given by the Department of Homeland Security for residents to become REAL ID compliant. Officials said that out of over one million residents with driver's licenses or state IDs, only about 60,000 do not have a real ID-compliant ID. 'That's a significant number of people that we got into the program and of those 60,000, only about 30,000 don't have a state complaint ID. The great thing is, we've been working really hard with TSA, who's helping us out to ensure that anybody who isn't REAL ID compliant has other alternative means to get through these airport facilities,' Sniffen said. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Those who are not REAL ID compliant after May 7 can still choose from 15 other acceptable forms of identification. The full list can be found on TSA's website. 'If you don't have one of those items, please make sure you allow yourself plenty of extra time to arrive at the airport, as you may have to undergo additional screening,' explained Nanea Vasta, TSA Federal Security Director for Pacific Airports. The screening process would be done over the phone with the National Vetting Center, where travelers will be asked questions to verify their identity. Check out more news from around Hawaii Officials said those unable to pass that process would not be able to travel. You can tell if you have a REAL ID by looking for a star in the upper right corner of your driver's license or state ID. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
HNL takes off: Upgrades to modernize Honolulu's aging airport
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu's airport is set to undergo a wave of upgrades, promising travelers a more comfortable and cultural experience. It's the gateway to paradise, but plans are underway to make Honolulu's airport feel like part of the vacation. Facial recognition at airports: 9 things to know before you get in line 'Whether it's inter-island, or whether you're going to trans Pacific, you gotta fly. You want to make sure that our experiences, our collective experiences, here are better for everybody,' said Ed Sniffen, Hawaii Department of Transportation Director. Likely one of the first and biggest changes you will see in the mauka terminal is the expansion of the Hawaiian Airlines lounge, which will be five times the size of the old lounge. The new premium lounge is set to open in 2027 and is part of Alaska Air Group's strategic plan to consolidate lobby space following the merger with Hawaiian Airlines. Beyond the terminals, Lobbies 5 through 8 will be undergoing $60 million in renovations, including relocating the baggage handling system to the back of the ticketing area. 'It gives us a better, spacious feel in the front side, more of a better operation for the airlines themselves, and just better experience overall,' said new artwork on the walls will tell the story of Hawaii, addressing critics who say the airport lacks any strong cultural identity. A line up of recognized restaurants and bars are touching down, including Panda Express at the end of May, Alan Wong's, MW, Aloha Plate and Waialua Bar and Cafe next year. Also coming soon, a build-out of the Diamond Head concourse to match the improvements at the mauka concourse. Behind the scenes, critical systems are getting attention, too. About half of the $1.78 billion in the capital improvement budget the state legislature earmarked for airports next year, will go towards airfield improvements. 'They've done a lot of emergency repairs that we had to do because of the failing pavements, and we want to make sure that for the next 35 to 50 years, we don't have to worry about it anymore,' said Sniffen. Ten million dollars will be used to upgrade airport rescue and firefighting operations, that can be used to support local firefighters in an emergency. Check out more news from around Hawaii 'There's bigger planes coming in with more fuel. We got to make sure we're ready to be safe in these areas. and that's statewide,' said Sniffen. The DOT is also looking into ways to improve technology at the airport to stop it from feeling like a layover from the past. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Warning extended: Speed cameras catch 30k speeders weekly
HONOLULU (KHON2) — It was supposed to last two months, but now the state's new speed camera warning period is getting a major extension. Tens of thousands of citations are being handed out and transportation officials said drivers aren't slowing down fast enough. Danger on the road as speed cameras capture alarming number of speeders If you've been driving – and speeding – through Likelike Highway and School Street lately, odds are, you've been caught on camera. The Hawaii Department of Transportation said it's averaging 30,000 warning citations a week. By comparison, the Honolulu Police Department said between 25,000 and 26,000 speeding citations were handed out island-wide in all of 2024. It's a staggering number that's forcing the state to hit the brakes. 'We're right now targeting or sending out warnings for those that are going 11 miles per hour over the speed limit. So if we had targeted seven or five miles per hour over you can almost double that,' said Ed Sniffen, director of the state Department of Transportation. The speed camera pilot project went live on March 1 as part of a 60-day warning period that was supposed to end April 30. With the surge in citations, DOT said they don't want to overwhelm the system. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'That being said, we're probably going to extend this warning period out to October, to give the public a little bit more time to adjust, but also to give us the time to work with our judiciary and our prosecutors to ensure that we have capacity in our programs to push these types of numbers through if necessary,' explained Sniffen. The project is an extension of the red light running violations that started in November 2022. Cameras installed at 10 Honolulu intersections snap photos of cars going over the posted speed limit, and during the warning period, violators receive a citation in the mail, but with no fine attached. Once the warning period ends, citations for those caught speeding five miles over the speed limit will come with real fines, starting at $250 for the first violation. 'That's a little bit too steep because everybody does that. I'm sure even the law enforcement people do it. I'm pretty sure they do, you know,' said driver Cathy Ehia, who wasn't even aware of the safety cameras. 'I understand it because we have a lot of death, fatalities and everything, but that's a little too steep.' According to the HDOT, over the last five years, nearly half of all deaths on Hawaii's highways were attributed to speed. The money from the fines will be deposited into the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund. The fund can only be used for the implementation, operation, and maintenance of the speed safety camera system. Check out more news from around Hawaii The DOT insists, the program is about safety, not revenue. 'We don't want to collect that money, we don't want to issue the citation. We just want everybody to slow down,' said Sniffen. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
