The Steamship Authority will continue to look at ways to improve communication during trip cancellations, including the possibility of installing technology at terminals similar to message boards at airports, SSA general manager Robert Davis said during a board meeting Tuesday morning.
The discussion came after the MV Nantucket was forced out of service on Sunday, Nov. 7, stranding some passengers coming and going from the Island. Passengers didn’t complain so much about the breakdown, James Malkin, the Vineyard representative, told his fellow board members, but were upset about the lack of communication and clear information.
“When the last incident, two Sundays ago, happened, and my texts, phone, and email blew up with fan mail, no one was really complaining — in fact no one complained about the fact that the boats were sidelined with mechanical issues. People have got it, boats break. It’s not a tunnel. It’s not a bridge,” he said. “But the concern was consistent communication on the ground and effective communication electronically.”
Davis said the SSA was able to determine that some of its emails are bouncing back or going to people’s spam folders because of incorrect information provided to the SSA.
Sean Driscoll, the SSA’s communications director, urged frequent travelers to sign up for text alerts and email alerts, and to make sure the information included on their current traveler profiles is correct.
The SSA is also looking at ways to get frontline employees the most up-to-date and accurate information so that they can share that with customers. Davis said there’s a capital project under review to add signs on the properties, similar to what airports use for flights.
Davis did provide some context that shows the SSA has had fewer than 3 percent of its trips canceled for mechanical or weather-related issues. He said in 2021, the SSA has had 14,557 trips, with 53 trips canceled for mechanical reasons, and 191 because of weather — that’s 98.3 percent of the trips making their scheduled crossings. Those numbers are similar to 2020 and 2019.
“We don’t like to miss trips. Our crews don’t like to miss them, they know that it’s important for our customers to be getting wherever they need to be going. Whether it’s getting back to the Island to get home or getting off the Island … to wherever they are traveling.”
Davis pointed out that customers can always check the SSA website, where trip alerts are posted. With the ferry line’s website about to be upgraded, Driscoll said it will be easier to send out notifications to customers.
The board also discussed and approved reservation schedules and preferred schedules for Martha’s Vineyard residents, which provides Islanders with more opportunities to get on and off Island during peak seasons. An information session is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 18, at 5 pm to provide more details on these programs. To join the session, use the Zoom meeting ID 838 2022 9045 on zoom.us or on the app. Those interested can also join by calling in on one of the following numbers: 929-436-2866, 301-715-8592, 312-626-6799, 669-900-6833, 253-215-8782, or 346-248-7799.
What to do about Woods Hole
As it is frequently, the traffic in Woods Hole was also a topic of discussion during several parts of the meeting.
After a detailed update on September’s traffic numbers, Malkin brought up the issue of freight vehicles, and expressed some frustration at misinformation he said was reported in a letter sent to the Cape Cod Times by a Woods Hole resident.
Treasurer Mark Rozum said there are on average 190 daily roundtrips of commercial vehicles going to and from the Island — not the 600 that was reported in the letter.
“As I said in September, there seems to be a pretty relentless campaign on the part of some folks in Falmouth or Woods Hole about increased traffic to the Vineyard creating an increased burden on that community, and I talked about both communities sharing growth,” he said. He said the most registered vehicle on Martha’s Vineyard, according to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, is the Toyota Tacoma, which until recently had been listed as a truck by the SSA.
“I’m happy to work with port communities, but one of the things I find distressing is that a number of folks, particularly one who corresponds with us and is on one of our working groups for traffic, despite hearing this data about commercial trucks versus personal vehicles like vans and pickup trucks like the Tacoma, despite hearing that at a recent working group, wrote to the Cape Cod Times Monday talking about relentless growth on the Island and 600 trucks per day. There aren’t 600 trucks a day on average to the Vineyard or from the Vineyard. There’s a third of that that are commercial trucks or freight trucks.”
He pointed out that the capacity has remained the same for four years, with no increase in the number of crossings. “We all share issues of growth in our communities, but we have to stick to facts and not a false narrative,” he said.
Meanwhile, whether New Bedford can at some point offer relief to traffic in Woods Hole also was a topic brought up at the end of the meeting. Robert Jones, who represents Barnstable on the board, said after hearing about the limited options in New Bedford, it’s time for the board to take a leadership role in figuring out whether that port community can offer some freight service.
At a meeting last month, Justin Poulsen, executive director of the New Bedford Port Authority, poured some cold water on the concept, saying the city is looking to create jobs with its limited port properties. He did not rule out the possibility.
Moira Tierney, New Bedford’s representative on the SSA board, said she would be open to having more discussions about the potential for the city to become more active with the ferry service. “It would be nice to have the board meet and discuss this,” she said. “I think [that’s] what has kept it from being up and running so far, and we may have been a little bit late to the game with what’s available in New Bedford. I mean New Bedford is just a vibrant, happening waterfront, and it’s got a lot going on.”
She pointed out the fishing industry and its new role in offshore wind. “So I think it’s now or never that we start discussing this, and I’m absolutely willing to work in any capacity the board sees fit,” she said. “We’re going to have to find a way to get to yes for both entities.”
Davis said he would speak with Steve Sayers, the SSA’s consultant on a transportation task force, to discuss the issues with New Bedford stakeholders, look at the site, and bring back that fact-finding to the board at its December meeting.
In other business, Falmouth is about to lose Kathryn Wilson, the SSA board chair. An emotional Wilson announced to her fellow board members that she is resigning for personal reasons. Her colleagues appeared stunned as they heard the news during the Zoom meeting.
Wilson highlighted the discussions about using New Bedford and the improved dialogue between the Vineyard and Falmouth as positives during her three years on the board. She expressed concerns about the continued traffic issues.
“Due to circumstances outside of my control, and I won’t go into details right now, I need to resign,” she said. She told the Falmouth select board she would stay on board until they select a replacement. She expressed her gratitude to the board members and the SSA employees.
“Oh boy, that’s terrible news,” Tierney said in reaction.
Malkin, his arms raised up in disbelief, added, “I’m terribly sorry. I hope you’re OK.”
“Yes, things will be fine,” Wilson said. “I didn’t mean to get so emotional.”
Meanwhile, the board also approved more than $1 million in parts to be purchased for its various ferries ahead of the 2022 budget. Davis said the SSA planned to include them in next year’s budget, but is concerned with supply chain issues.
The board also authorized more than $500,000 in change orders having to do with the waterside construction in Woods Hole. The votes were not unanimous, with only Tierney voting against the added expenditures. The slip work to date has resulted in $13.8 million in change orders — 32 percent of the overall budget.
Rozum gave a brief look ahead at reservations, which show more people headed to the Vineyard for the Thanksgiving holiday. There are 6,652 reservations for November, which is 1,100 more than prepandemic reservations for November in 2019. He said the ferry service is adding ferry crossings as a result.
Whether it’s as many as 600 trucks a day or 200 trucks on average (daily averages lower the apparent truck count on weekdays, as fewer trucks travel to and from the Vineyard on weekend days when so many cars travel), the Steamship Authority is taking no observable or measurable steps to limit or curb its freight volume through Woods Hole by opening or licensing an off-Cape freight route.
Turf, rocks, other landscaping materials, trash, fuel: Must those types of freight be carried on ferries through Woods Hole village rather than through a supplemental off-Cape port?
That same freight volume on the Woods Hole route displaces valuable car space, almost always in short supply, on the Woods Hole route.
Why should any freight be transported through the sweet little village of Woods Hole?
Or cars….
The remarks by SSA directed toward Nat Trumbull are slanderous.
In his letter to Cape Cod Times he said “as many as 600 trucks a day ……on trips in the summer” this is entirely accurate. They may not like Nate’s perseverance but they are the dishonest party.
“The (SSA) board also authorized more than $500,000 in change orders having to do with the waterside construction in Woods Hole. The votes were not unanimous, with only Tierney voting against the added expenditures. The slip work to date has resulted in $13.8 million in change orders — 32 percent of the overall budget.”
Another half million sacrificed to the Woods Hole Project. And that last phrase in the quote, about change orders being almost a third of expenses? If “change” orders are 32% of the budget, that does not seem right. The waters sure are muddy.
When will Tom join the SSA Board and solve all the problems?
Why can’t a shipping route be established in New Bedford? The ferries ran out of New Bedford years ago. Has New Bedford’s wharves changed that much over the years that it can no longer handle ferries? …or is the problem a political one?
The problem is purely political.
Prior to SSA year around service to the Island was unreliable at best.
A political policy was established to ensure good year around service.
If that policy is dropped we will have great summer service.
And winter service driven by profitability.
Just like the good old days.
For the same reaaon cars and more passengers don’t go out of New Bedford.
It takes longer and costs more.
The SSA operates a large service facility New Bedford.
New Bedford wants as much Island traffic as it can get.
Woods Hole wants none.
Are you good with no Woods Hole?
I remember when the Island was great.
When the Island demanded that the SSA be created to provide adequate year round service to the Island.
The Island has been ungrateful ever since.