Post by ferryfast admin on Mar 29, 2005 2:25:07 GMT -5
Ferry rates remain status quo despite increasing fuel prices
By KRISTINA SMITH
Staff writer
News-Messenger
A Car squeezes onto the Miller Boat Line's "William Market" ferry Friday. The ferry left Catawba Island for South Bass Island.
Ferry boat companies expect to pay more to fuel their boats this summer, but fun-seekers headed to the Lake Erie Bass Islands won't pay more to get there.
The Miller Boat Line, which takes passengers from Catawba Island to South and Middle Bass islands, and the Jet Express, which runs from Port Clinton to downtown Put-in-Bay, aren't increasing their prices this year.
The Miller ferry raises its rates every two or three years on average, said Bill Market, boat line president.
"We are, at least for the islanders, a major lifeline," Market said. "We are still, for lack of a better term, making a profit. As long as we can do that, we'll hold our prices down as much as we can."
The rates are the same as last year, with round-trip tickets to South Bass Island costing $11 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-11 and $26 for cars. Round-trip tickets to Middle Bass Island cost $16 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-11 and $34 for cars.
Market expects the boat line's diesel fuel expenses to increase a projected 30 percent to 40 percent this year compared with last year. During peak tourist traffic, it uses four boats that burn an average of 300 gallons of fuel a day, he said.
"It'll definitely affect the bottom line," he said.
Although fuel is a major expense, it isn't necessarily bad for business.
"People have a tendency to take shorter one-day trips when gas prices are like this," he said. "So it could help us."
Trips to South Bass began Monday, and runs to Middle Bass Island began Thursday. A schedule is available at www.millerferry.com.
Meanwhile, the Jet Express is getting ready to start May 6 with trips from 7:45 a.m. to midnight, he said. The boat line has not completed its schedule for the season, but it will be available at www.jet-express.com.
Round-trip tickets cost the same as last year: $22 for adults, and children ages 12 and under ride for free, said Lance Woodworth, director of operations. The boat line ended its $2 round-trip discount for weekday riders this year but kept its evening discount of $18 round-trip after 6 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, Woodworth said.
"The fuel costs are really going to be hitting us hard," Woodworth said. "It's just some of the discounts we've gotten rid of. It's just with the fuel prices, we had to cut something."
The company's two ferries for the Port Clinton trip, Jet Express I and II that carry 300 and 400 passengers, respectively, use up to 140 gallons of fuel an hour, Woodworth said. Jet III, which will go from Sandusky to Put-in-Bay this year, uses 90 gallons an hour.
The Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line has already begun to see the increased diesel fuel cost. It began trips from Marblehead to Kelleys Island last week.
A schedule is available at www.kelleysislandferry.com.
Starting Friday, passengers will pay a $1 more for tickets than the prices they paid last year, boat line Vice President August Palladino said. Round-trip passenger tickets will cost $12 for passengers and $22 for cars.
The company's boats use about 8,000 gallons of fuel a week, Palladino said. It also bought a new boat that will hold 25 cars, bringing the company's number of ferries to four.
The boat line pays just under $2 a gallon for diesel fuel, which is a few cents less than what motorists pay at the pump, he said.
"We're a big buyer so we get it cheaper," he said.
The boat line also increased its prices because of an annual parking fee it agreed to pay the village of Marblehead, Palladino said. The fee took effect last year, but the boat line did not pass any of the cost onto its passengers.
Homeland security requirements for all ferry companies implemented last year have also increased the company's operating cost, Palladino said. The boat line hired extra employees to watch for suspicious people, packages and vehicles, he said.
Those security measures remain the same this year, boat operators said.
The Jet Express and Miller Boat Line employees randomly search 10 percent of their passengers and cargo, Woodworth and Market said.
"It's more of just a screening process," Woodworth said. "It falls in line with what you see at the airport. It never really changed operations last year."
Employees also go through training to be aware of suspicious people and packages, Market said.
"A lot of it's just situation awareness and being cognitive about what's going on around you," Market said.
By KRISTINA SMITH
Staff writer
News-Messenger
A Car squeezes onto the Miller Boat Line's "William Market" ferry Friday. The ferry left Catawba Island for South Bass Island.
Ferry boat companies expect to pay more to fuel their boats this summer, but fun-seekers headed to the Lake Erie Bass Islands won't pay more to get there.
The Miller Boat Line, which takes passengers from Catawba Island to South and Middle Bass islands, and the Jet Express, which runs from Port Clinton to downtown Put-in-Bay, aren't increasing their prices this year.
The Miller ferry raises its rates every two or three years on average, said Bill Market, boat line president.
"We are, at least for the islanders, a major lifeline," Market said. "We are still, for lack of a better term, making a profit. As long as we can do that, we'll hold our prices down as much as we can."
The rates are the same as last year, with round-trip tickets to South Bass Island costing $11 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-11 and $26 for cars. Round-trip tickets to Middle Bass Island cost $16 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-11 and $34 for cars.
Market expects the boat line's diesel fuel expenses to increase a projected 30 percent to 40 percent this year compared with last year. During peak tourist traffic, it uses four boats that burn an average of 300 gallons of fuel a day, he said.
"It'll definitely affect the bottom line," he said.
Although fuel is a major expense, it isn't necessarily bad for business.
"People have a tendency to take shorter one-day trips when gas prices are like this," he said. "So it could help us."
Trips to South Bass began Monday, and runs to Middle Bass Island began Thursday. A schedule is available at www.millerferry.com.
Meanwhile, the Jet Express is getting ready to start May 6 with trips from 7:45 a.m. to midnight, he said. The boat line has not completed its schedule for the season, but it will be available at www.jet-express.com.
Round-trip tickets cost the same as last year: $22 for adults, and children ages 12 and under ride for free, said Lance Woodworth, director of operations. The boat line ended its $2 round-trip discount for weekday riders this year but kept its evening discount of $18 round-trip after 6 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, Woodworth said.
"The fuel costs are really going to be hitting us hard," Woodworth said. "It's just some of the discounts we've gotten rid of. It's just with the fuel prices, we had to cut something."
The company's two ferries for the Port Clinton trip, Jet Express I and II that carry 300 and 400 passengers, respectively, use up to 140 gallons of fuel an hour, Woodworth said. Jet III, which will go from Sandusky to Put-in-Bay this year, uses 90 gallons an hour.
The Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line has already begun to see the increased diesel fuel cost. It began trips from Marblehead to Kelleys Island last week.
A schedule is available at www.kelleysislandferry.com.
Starting Friday, passengers will pay a $1 more for tickets than the prices they paid last year, boat line Vice President August Palladino said. Round-trip passenger tickets will cost $12 for passengers and $22 for cars.
The company's boats use about 8,000 gallons of fuel a week, Palladino said. It also bought a new boat that will hold 25 cars, bringing the company's number of ferries to four.
The boat line pays just under $2 a gallon for diesel fuel, which is a few cents less than what motorists pay at the pump, he said.
"We're a big buyer so we get it cheaper," he said.
The boat line also increased its prices because of an annual parking fee it agreed to pay the village of Marblehead, Palladino said. The fee took effect last year, but the boat line did not pass any of the cost onto its passengers.
Homeland security requirements for all ferry companies implemented last year have also increased the company's operating cost, Palladino said. The boat line hired extra employees to watch for suspicious people, packages and vehicles, he said.
Those security measures remain the same this year, boat operators said.
The Jet Express and Miller Boat Line employees randomly search 10 percent of their passengers and cargo, Woodworth and Market said.
"It's more of just a screening process," Woodworth said. "It falls in line with what you see at the airport. It never really changed operations last year."
Employees also go through training to be aware of suspicious people and packages, Market said.
"A lot of it's just situation awareness and being cognitive about what's going on around you," Market said.