The Steamship Authority (SSA) is looking to improve travel for Islanders.
The SSA announced a change to its Blue Line, a resident-only standby line, on the Vineyard route on Wednesday, June 28.
The Blue Line, which is available on reservation-only days, will have a rolling capacity of 12 vehicles at any time. Before the change, a maximum of 15 cars per day was allowed on the Blue Line.
“As cars are able to board, more cars will be accommodated [throughout] the day,” the announcement reads.
Only customers with preferred and excursion accounts are eligible. According to the announcement, the Blue Line is “not for people trying to improve their sailing time,” and is only for customers without a reservation.
The Blue Line may be closed for weather delays or “other operational issues,” according to the announcement.
Meanwhile, the SSA announced in a press release that its first three electric buses have arrived. These vehicles will transport customers from SSA parking lots to ferry terminals in Hyannis and Woods Hole. The authority’s bus drivers are being trained to use these electric buses, which are expected to come into service in mid-July.
According to the release, the buses were purchased after receiving approval from the SSA board in 2021, but the manufacture and delivery process for them was “delayed by supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other production issues.” The buses cost around $3 million, but the price was offset by two grants totaling $875,000 — from the Volkswagen Settlement Grant Program, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and the Federal Transit Administration’s Low- or No-Emission Program — the SSA received in 2019.
The release states that the SSA expects four more electric buses to be delivered later this year, which are expected to total a price “not to exceed $4 million.”
The price of the busses is meaningless without a comparison to what diesel busses cost.
It’s quite a deal if a diesel bus cost 8 million, and not such a good deal if a diesel bus cost $50,000
Don, is it all about money?
What about our precious environment?
Their are no $50,000 new diesel buses
Not even diesel school buses.
School busses do not stand up to 12 hours a day – 365 day use profile.
Ah, the mysterious “blue line”, about which I learned year’s ago in furtive conversations. Only used it a couple of times because I’m usually able to book a res using the 7-day advance openings for Island residents.
The new formulation for the blue line sounds like it might be a great help for Islanders who have to suddenly leave without having had the opportunity to make a reservation. I just hope that I’m reading the announcement correctly.
The SSA bonding is backed by the State, not the Islands.
Why should the so called “Give me a break I have to live here year around” crowd receive special treatment?
Electric motors need no fuel, no fuel tanks, no oil, no changing the oil, no maintenance, no exhaust, no air pollution. The advantages are enormous. What’s not to like? ❤️