FERRIES: Reduce fares for car passengers

Washington State Ferries are raising fares Oct. 1. A recent cost-of-service analysis found that passenger fare revenue exceeds the cost of serving passengers. More than $12 million of passenger fares collected (one-third) cross-subsidize vehicles.

By overcharging passengers and undercharging single-occupancy-vehicle drivers, the state is harming the poor, who are far less likely to drive on alone. According to the National Household Travel Survey, “Households in poverty . . . have the lowest rates of single-occupancy-vehicle use and the highest usage of less costly travel modes: carpool, transit, bike and walking.”

Reducing passenger fares to a level comparable to regional bus fares could significantly grow ridership on the passenger deck, where there’s room, and would provide the poor greater access to opportunities across the Sound. In addition to improving equity, increasing vehicle fares and lowering passenger fares to more closely reflect their cost of service would also reduce vehicle overloads and wait times as well as the need for costly service additions and/or larger ferries.

This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 3:02 PM with the headline "FERRIES: Reduce fares for car passengers."