§51-1  Grant of powers.  Every county ofthis State may acquire, condemn, purchase, lease, construct, extend, own,maintain, and operate mass transit systems, including, without being limitedto, motor buses, street railroads, fixed rail facilities such as monorails orsubways, whether surface, subsurface, or elevated, taxis, and other forms oftransportation for hire for passengers and their personal baggage.

Every county shall have power to provide masstransportation service, whether directly, jointly, or under contract withprivate parties, without the county or private parties being subject to thejurisdiction and control of the public utilities commission in any manner.

The terms "mass transit" and"mass transportation" mean transportation by bus, or rail or otherconveyance, either publicly or privately owned, which provides to the publicgeneral or special service (but not including school buses or charter orsightseeing service) on a regular and continuing basis. [L 1967, c 300, §1; HRS§51-1; am L 1973, c 166, §1]