An Aloha State native took pictures of old-school Lahaina and Kauai trains for designers and pushed for “something that’s Maui.” Two double-car trams pay homage to plantation-style trains of old Hawaii. This is such an improvement for those of us who do the typical Kahului airport car rentals for convenience. The train, which travels at 15 mph, will take two to three stops and require only 3-4 minutes to move from one end of the track to the other, significantly cutting waiting and shuttle time to existing car rental facilities located outside the airport. After returning your vehicle rental, you can hop on the tram to the terminal.

Each car, named after a Maui County island, holds 30 passengers. One train will run daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., often longer depending on incoming flights, with a second one deployed during peak passenger hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. One train can make a round trip in six minutes. Trams move along a line that picks up voltage under the rail and powers the motor. Also, a train driver will hold a dead man switch and monitor for anything potentially on the track.