Post by ferryfast admin on Mar 25, 2005 19:28:57 GMT -5
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Ferries may trim planned fare boost
Initial proposal was called unaffordable
By KYLE ARNOLD AND LARRY LANGE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERS
seattlepi.nwsource.com/
Proposed fare increases on Washington State Ferries may be scaled back after riders told officials that the fares could become unaffordable for many regular customers.
Overall increases of more than 7 percent had been proposed, but a state board said yesterday that it is considering a smaller increase of about 6 percent after listening to public comments.
The highest proposal, heard yesterday at the Tariff Transportation Commission meeting in Seattle, would have increased one-way car-and-driver fares for routes between Seattle and Bainbridge Island, Bremerton and Kingston from $10 to $10.75.
The latest proposal would raise the fares to about $10.60.
The state Transportation Commission will hold a series of forums near affected communities to discuss the new proposal. The commission will vote on it April 26. If approved, the fare increase would take effect June 1.
The increases are part of a series that began after the 1999 passage of Initiative 695, which stripped the system of revenue from the state motor-vehicle excise tax. System Planning Director Ray Deardorf said fare changes will raise $5.5 million to $6 million annually.
Officials have raised fares to keep pace with costs and increase fare box revenue above 80 percent of operating costs.
Last year ticket revenue covered about 78 percent of the system's cost, officials said.
Ferry riders also would be able to keep their 90-day discount tickets. The revision came after many riders objected to cutting the discount period to 30 days. Some said that would make the discount tickets less convenient to use and would hurt poor people who make fewer trips.
"People didn't want us to monkey with the discounts," said Alice Tawresey, chairwoman of the ferry system's Tariff Policy Committee. She said the committee still backs a shift toward new electronic "convenience cards" that would provide electronic ticketing starting this fall.
The initial cards would have bar codes that could be copied and shared so that friends and family members also could use them, Tawresey said.
In two years, however, the system proposes moving toward a "smart card" that could be renewed with cash but couldn't be duplicated.
Ferries may trim planned fare boost
Initial proposal was called unaffordable
By KYLE ARNOLD AND LARRY LANGE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERS
seattlepi.nwsource.com/
Proposed fare increases on Washington State Ferries may be scaled back after riders told officials that the fares could become unaffordable for many regular customers.
Overall increases of more than 7 percent had been proposed, but a state board said yesterday that it is considering a smaller increase of about 6 percent after listening to public comments.
The highest proposal, heard yesterday at the Tariff Transportation Commission meeting in Seattle, would have increased one-way car-and-driver fares for routes between Seattle and Bainbridge Island, Bremerton and Kingston from $10 to $10.75.
The latest proposal would raise the fares to about $10.60.
The state Transportation Commission will hold a series of forums near affected communities to discuss the new proposal. The commission will vote on it April 26. If approved, the fare increase would take effect June 1.
The increases are part of a series that began after the 1999 passage of Initiative 695, which stripped the system of revenue from the state motor-vehicle excise tax. System Planning Director Ray Deardorf said fare changes will raise $5.5 million to $6 million annually.
Officials have raised fares to keep pace with costs and increase fare box revenue above 80 percent of operating costs.
Last year ticket revenue covered about 78 percent of the system's cost, officials said.
Ferry riders also would be able to keep their 90-day discount tickets. The revision came after many riders objected to cutting the discount period to 30 days. Some said that would make the discount tickets less convenient to use and would hurt poor people who make fewer trips.
"People didn't want us to monkey with the discounts," said Alice Tawresey, chairwoman of the ferry system's Tariff Policy Committee. She said the committee still backs a shift toward new electronic "convenience cards" that would provide electronic ticketing starting this fall.
The initial cards would have bar codes that could be copied and shared so that friends and family members also could use them, Tawresey said.
In two years, however, the system proposes moving toward a "smart card" that could be renewed with cash but couldn't be duplicated.