Moving forward with pilot testing in the Honolulu area, public testers to be sought in March
Honolulu, Hawaii – January 16, 2018 – Servco Pacific Inc. (Servco) today introduced Hui, the name for its new round-trip, station-based car share program it is developing in partnership with Toyota Connected North America. Hui has just completed an employee-only pilot test with Servco employees and is now starting its next phase with a closed pilot test in Honolulu. Once the pilot test with the closed group is complete in February, Hui will open the testing to members of the public interested in trying the new mobility service.
The Hui Brand
Servco collaborated with Honolulu-based marketing agency, Anthology Marketing Group, to develop the Hui brand name and logo. With bright and vibrant colors, the Hui logo incorporates a playful nod to a vehicle wheel, while also implying continuous movement and a hui or community. The dot on the “i,” called “the orbit” symbolizes the round-trip model of car share business.
“As most people in Hawaii already know, Hui means club, association, or joint ownership in the Hawaiian language and is often extended to imply community, partnership, or extended family,” said Kim Randall, vice president of sales & marketing for Servco. “We felt these definitions, combined with the idea of ‘better together’ made Hui a name that perfectly embodies this shared mobility service.”
Public Hui Testers to Be Sought in March
For the past few months, Hui has been conducting an employee-only pilot at Servco’s headquarters in Mapunapuna. Now, the company is progressing to the next stage with a closed group of pilot testers. Public volunteers will be sought in March to participate in the public pilot test in Honolulu.
“The introduction of Hui is another exciting chapter in Servco’s growth and Toyota’s evolution as a mobility leader. We’re excited to give members of our community an early look at our program and the ability to provide valuable feedback to help us make our service even better,” said Peter Fukunaga, director of Hui car share.
Hui stations available during the closed pilot testing will be located between Downtown and Kaimuki. Vehicles in the closed pilot program include the Toyota Prius and Camry XSE, and the Lexus RX. During the pilot, participants will use Hui vehicles at special discounted rates.
Members of the public interested in receiving Hui updates and participating in the public pilot test in March should submit their email at www.drivehui.com.
Through the Hui mobile application, users can:
- Reserve a vehicle for use
- Lock and unlock the vehicle
- Obtain a digital key to start the vehicle
- Manage payments
“It’s a fast and easy way to get a vehicle when you need one,” explained Fukunaga.
Hui car share is a new, practical shared amenity for Honolulu residents that provides an alternative to car ownership. It is designed to be a complement to bike share and public transportation options.
About Hui
Developed by Toyota Connected North America and Servco, Hui is a round-trip, station-based service that is available to users 24/7. It is a global pilot program for Toyota’s shared mobility service platform. Hui vehicles can be rented by the minute or day as the program is designed to replace or supplement car ownership. To utilize Hui, a valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record are required. Once available to the public, users will be able to download the app onto their mobile phone, register as a member, then search for the nearest vehicle and reserve a date and time. Gas, insurance, parking at the station, 24-hour roadside assistance, and a 24-hour call center are all included in the hourly rate of the vehicle.
About Servco Pacific Inc.
Servco Pacific Inc. is Hawaii’s largest privately held company with over $1.6 billion in annual revenues. Founded in 1919, it is the Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru distributor for Hawaii, and has Toyota, Lexus and Subaru automotive dealerships spanning Hawaii and Australia. It also has specialty insurance brokerage and benefits consulting offices in Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, and home appliance operations that sells General Electric, Thermador, Bosch, and Haier products throughout Hawaii and other Pacific islands. In addition, Servco has a private equity portfolio, which includes co-majority ownership of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Servco is one of the Top 30 largest automotive dealer groups based in the U.S. and it has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in Hawaii” for 13 consecutive years since that award’s inception. For additional information, visit www.servco.com.
About Toyota Connected North America
Based in Plano, Texas, Toyota Connected North America (TC) was established in 2016 to drive Toyota’s global efforts for an intelligent mobile society. With big data collected from vehicles and analyzed on a cloud platform, TC humanizes the driving experience by freeing customers from the tyranny of technology via seamless and contextual services, elevating the customer experience while benefitting dealers, distributors, and partners. Analyzing traffic patterns, driver behavior and connecting drivers with infrastructure and other information is only part of TC’s work that will open new services and products to keep the car as a beloved companion.