SSA passenger, auto traffic flat; freight jumps

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For the first 10 months of 2013, Steamship Authority passenger and auto traffic continued its slow to no growth pattern, common now for nearly a decade. Vineyard passengers are up 0.7 percent, autos 0.5 percent through the end of October. Passengers to and from Nantucket increased 4.1 percent, while autos fell 1.6 percent. For the line as a whole, passengers increased 1.4 percent during the period, and autos fell 0.2 percent.

The bright spot for the boatline during the period was truck (freight) traffic, up 6.1 percent to and from the Vineyard, 5.7 percent for Nantucket, and six percent overall.

Revenues were also bright, up 3.9 percent for the line as a whole through October, 1.9 percent for automobiles, and a whopping 12.5 percent for trucks.