Updated, July 18
The Steamship Authority will continue to allow its controversial 5:30 am freight ferry for the 2024 season, despite pressure from residents who say they are aggrieved by the early freight traffic.
The Steamship Authority board voted 3 to 1 in favor of approving the operating schedule at its regular meeting on Tuesday. Representative Peter Jeffrey of Falmouth — where the town’s select board recommended terminating the 5:30 ferry — was the lone dissenting vote.
The early morning freight ferry has been an ongoing battle between the Steamship Authority (SSA) and mostly Woods Hole residents. In April, a petition with 112 signatures called for ending the early ferry. Falmouth residents say they don’t like the noise from the trucks, and they have safety concerns. There’s also a fear of more trucks.
On Tuesday, Vineyard representative Jim Malkin voted in support of the 5:30 am ferry, but said that he was sympathetic to the Woods Hole residents, as well as the residents of Vineyard Haven and Hyannis that have to deal with early morning freight traffic.
“I sympathize with the people in Woods Hole that are concerned about growth,” Malkin said. “Fortunately or unfortunately, growth is part of the islands. And we on the islands have to live with that, and we have to have transportation.”
Malkin also noted that the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and Island town officials are supportive of the early morning freight boats, and until that changes, he said, would support the Steamship schedule.
Jeffrey made no comment at Tuesday’s meeting, despite his negative vote.
The Steamship board received several letters in support of the 5:30 am freight ferry, including one from the hospital. Hospital CEO Denise Schepici called the early morning freight service “essential.”
“The SSA serves as an essential transport system for direct caregivers, some of whom live on the Cape and further out, who provide routine, emergency, and specialty services to Island residents and visitors who need them, when they need them,” Schepici wrote. “Many caregiver shifts begin at 7 am. Arriving in Vineyard Haven at 6:15, then traveling to the hospital gets them to their departments just in time. This includes respiratory therapists; nurses from Falmouth, Woods Hole and other parts of the Cape; physicians; case managers; chefs who prepare meals on wheels for Island elders; and specialty equipment and technologists for specialized radiological testing.”
Edgartown and Oak Bluffs select boards also wrote letters against ending the 5:30 freight ferry.
But members of the public in attendance Tuesday had their concerns. Martha’s Vineyard Commission energy planner Kate Warner said that the islands should try to be more considerate to the mainland port communities. “We need to be good stewards to our neighbors in Falmouth,” she said. “We want to be accommodating. That’s misery for them.”
Warner asked if the early-morning freight could be reconsidered, with two new freight boats joining the Steamship fleet. The ferry line recently purchased the Aquinnah and Monomoy, which are currently under renovation before they are added to the fleet.
General manager Bob Davis said that the two new ferries will have capacity for about 350 passengers, up from between 150 and 290 with the existing freight. And while the freight decks will be about the same length as existing vessels, the new freight decks will be wider. He said the beam on the deck would expand from about 50 feet on current freight boats to about 65 feet, potentially adding space for more vehicles. (Davis further clarified that many of the 350 passenger seats would be outside on the deck, with about 100 indoors.)
But when Warner asked if the 5:30 ferry could be reconsidered with the new, bigger boats, Steamship officials said that the early morning is in high demand for trucks. They can navigate the roads better when there are fewer drivers on the road.
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, SSA officials said that freight traffic has been up during the first half of the year. SSA treasurer Mark Rozum said that passenger traffic was up more than 5 percent this May, compared with last May, and up 7 percent from January to May compared with the same time last year. Freight trucks are also up more than 8 percent this May compared with last May, and just about 8 percent, year over year.
The original article misspelled Denise Schepici.
The steamship should start running smaller boats and start operating 24 hours a day that would alleviate the horrible reservation system. It is not serving the islands needs or the year-round population needs for people not to be able to come and go.
“running smaller boats” How often does the SSA shut down for the weather with their current size boats?
SSA Captains earn a pretty good wage.
What will quadrupling their number due to the costs?
Do Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs want a 7/24 operation?
How about Edgartown expanding it’s ferry operations to around the clock?
There is no shortage of Charter Boats ready an willing to accommodate the year-round population needs to come and go.
Money is no object.
It’s encouraging that the MVC expresses some understanding of those of us in Falmouth who are awakened by trucks headed to the ferry at 5 am or earlier. The letter from the hospital talks about employees and caregivers who must be on duty before 7am but our problem is with TRUCKS. Mr Davis’ reason for the 5:30 freight boat is the truckers want to start early. Is the injury to the health of residents of a host community to be balanced against truckers who want to start early?
C’mon man.
C’mon man, without the SSA Falmouth would be a wasteland.
Albert– you know, I read your comments and for the most part ignore them as they just seem to be attention grabbing statements– you often contradict yourself on a daily basis.
But for you to say that Falmouth would be be a “wasteland” without the SSA is over the top ridiculous.
C’mon man.
Of the thousands of ridiculous comments by you that the Mv Times has posted here, — and I will say that some of them are , in my opinion, rational and informative, this one is the most absurd.
As a “friend” , I ask that you think before you hit that post comment button and consider how it will be perceived by your fellow participants on this forum.
It’s not the “truckers” who want to start early. It’s the island community who want their store shelves stocked and trucks off the street early in the day to alleviate traffic. Falmouth stores and restaurants are having deliveries at the same time each early morning. The Lake Champlain ferries run 24/7 for well over 100 years with no pretentious NIMBY neighbors. No one says you have to live in Falmouth. I imagine you’d all pee your pants if we brought back the freight trains to Woods Hole.
There is no plus for Falmouth to host the SSA.
They have their own housing crisis.
They gain nothing by being the Island’s bedroom.
All the tax free land the SSA has is no plus for Falmouth
John– I have been on that lake Champlain ferry– A look on google earth shows little residential housing in the area ( more on the N.Y side) but the main road on that side barely skirts the community there , and the ferry is not a major point of freight transportation. So I think your comparison of that ferry service to the SSA is comparing apples to oranges. — I once was on the Little Narrows ferry between Aberdeen and Jubilee Novia Scotia. I doubt that anyone there will complain about 18 wheelers with air brakes waking them up at 3 am, since there are none. But I agree, this is a problem of supply and demand.. Not sure how we can resolve it–
Until they limit trucks from crossing the Bourne or Sagamore bridges before a certain time the residents of Falmouth and Woods Hole can pound sand. Just because the trucks are going to a ferry makes no difference. People in Wareham have no say about when trucks get to deliver goods to the cape. Why should residents of Falmouth have a say in when trucks go to The Vineyard?
Dear All,
My comments made at yesterday’s Steamship meeting should’ve been prefaced by a statement that they were my personal opinion and not that of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission nor as part of my role on the MVC staff. Sorry for any upset or confusion I may have caused.
Kate– thank you for clarifying your status— But, you are absolutely spot on with your comments and opinions– I could not care less if they are official or personal– They are a clear indication of your life long dedication to the energy issues concerning our community. I cannot thank you enough for what you have already done, and hope you can accomplish more.
If anyone is upset or confused, that’s their problem..
Comments are closed.