Steamship Authority Scheduled To Approve Rate Hikes

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA—Steamship Authority officials are scheduled to vote on a set of rate hikes at their meeting on Tuesday as part of an effort to counteract the economic effects of the decrease in passenger traffic due to the pandemic.

According to the SSA proposal, the proposed adjustments to regular passenger fares are the first rate hikes since 2015 on both the Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket routes.

On the Martha's Vineyard route, Steamship Authority officials are proposing an increase of $1 for passenger fares and $0.50 for children and senior fares. The proposed fares include an increase of between $4 and $6 for one-way fares, depending on whether it is an off season period or a shoulder season period, and $15 on peak trips for standard vehicle fares. There is also a proposed increase of $2.50 to $3.50 for excursion rates on the Martha's Vineyard route depending on the time of year.

On the Nantucket route, passenger fares would increase by $1 for passenger fares and $0.50 for children and senior fares on traditional ferries and $3 for passenger fares and $1.50 for children and senior fares on high speed ferries. Standard vehicle fares would increase by between $11 and $16 for one-way, depending on whether it is an off season period or a shoulder season period, and $25 for peak trips. Rates for excursions would go up between $6 and $8 depending on the time of year.

Yearly parking permits for both Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket would increase by $50 and seasonal parking permits would increase by $25.The rate adjustments would also include an increase in the prices of parking and commuter booklets.

The SSA proposal states that these adjustments are anticipated to generate an additional $8.7 million of operating revenue in 2021, with $5.4 million from the Martha's Vineyard route and $3.3 million from the Nantucket route.

$3.5 million in revenue is expected to come from standard fare vehicles, $720,000 from excursion fare vehicles, $1.72 million from vehicles longer than 20 feet, $2.44 million in passenger fares, $100,000 from parking permits and $240,000 from other fees.

The meeting began at 9:30 a.m. and was open to the public via Zoom.