Commuters deride plans for a peak-hour surcharge on popular cross-sound runs.
Near the end of a Thursday meeting about a proposed ferry fare increase, islander Lissa Dashe asked why the state rounds to the next nickel when setting fares.
“We’re in this together,” she told a group of some 35 islanders, most of whom had already expressed frustration over a cross-sound commute that costs 62 percent more than it did in 2001. “But it seems like the ferry system never cares about us.”
Washington State Ferries Planning Director Ray Deardorf said fares used to be rounded up to the dime for walk-ons, and to the quarter for vehicles. Now it’s only a nickel.
“We’re making baby steps here,” he said.
Under discussion at the Bainbridge Commons wasn’t whether fares would go up, but by how many nickels, to help the state Department of Transportation close a near-term $17 million budget shortfall.
Last month, the state Transportation Commission – which next month will have the final say on the amount of the fare increase – recommended a 4 percent hike. Earlier, the recently disbanded Tariff Policy Committee and Gov. Chris Gregoire had endorsed a smaller, 2.5 percent increase.
Thursday’s meeting was one of the last chances for Bainbridge commuters to offer their views about a proposal that, if approved, would increase prices for vehicles by 55 cents during the summer. Walk-on fares would jump by 30 cents. The new prices would take effect May 1.
The ferry system has been reeling since the 1999 repeal of the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax drained it of much of its funding. Since then, fares have steadily increased while ridership has gone down.
A recent financing study suggested higher fares for those who take the boat during peak commuter times and a possible reservation system – something WSF will test on the Port Townsend-Keystone run this summer – as ways to bring in more money.
Many criticized WSF’s spending, saying officials should cut costs before raising fares.
“If I ran my house the way you run the ferry system, we’d be starving half the time,” islander Jessie Hey said.
Others felt the pricing structure unfairly burdens regular commuters, who are forced to endure regular fare hikes.
“My work schedule is not set by me,” said Leon Robert, who with his wife commutes to Seattle each day. Robert, like many, was concerned about a peak hour fare structure that would further penalize regular commuters who don’t have flexible schedules.
Many said WSF’s expectation of an 80 percent farebox recovery ratio is unreasonable. That money is used to pay for operating costs, which continue to rise.
Transportation Commission member Bob Distler said he hopes the Legislature will work to find a permanent funding solution for WSF.
“A 4 percent fare increase is not going to solve this,” he said “It will simply keep things as bad as they are now while the Legislature moves forward.”
