Steamship hosting open house on proposed fare increases

13
The Steamship Authority ferry Island Home. —Eunki Seonwoo

The Steamship Authority has announced a series of informational open houses to discuss its preliminary 2025 operating budget and proposed fare adjustments. 

Treasurer Mark Rozum and Assistant Treasurer Courtney Oliveira will be available at the workshops to answer questions.

The proposed fare increases could see vehicle tickets rise by as much as $21 during peak seasons, while passenger tickets may see increases of $1 for adults and 50 cents for children and seniors.

With a projected budget of $152.8 million for 2025—an 11 percent increase from the previous year—the SSA is grappling with rising costs primarily driven by payroll increases. The anticipated budget includes a staggering $7.68 million hike in payroll due to wage increases, contract agreements, and additional staffing needs.

The open houses are scheduled for Martha’s Vineyard on Tuesday, October 22, from 5 to 7 pm at the Tisbury Senior Center..

As part of its efforts to address a projected net operating loss of $5.49 million for the upcoming year, the SSA is also proposing increases in parking fees and freight fares. Current estimates indicate that adjustments to fares could generate an additional $10.2 million from the Martha’s Vineyard route and $6.152 million from the Nantucket route.

Meanwhile, according to a recent release, the Steamship transported over 2.9 million passengers and 690,000 vehicles in 2023. 

13 COMMENTS

  1. Really? Does the SSA think they can feed us snacks while smiling and giving us platitudes then increases for poor service will magically be ok? You’re gonna need a bigger wand!

    • Is the solution to disband the government operation that provides such poor service?
      Leave it to private companies?
      Will that make things magically OK?
      How big a wand will that take.
      Be careful of what you you wish for.

  2. I certainly hope they are not looking for love and support nor am I hoping they will get any especially from islanders

    • The SSA, the ferry operation that Islanders love to hate.
      The SSA , the ferry operation that we the people created.
      How are we doing?

  3. I for one think we need to pay our fair share. Raise pay, increase benefits and give 4 weeks vacation during the summer. Why shouldn’t the hard workers of the steamship have the summer off and make a minimum 100k to start per year. It’s only fair. Whatever it takes to charge the motoring public we need to get this done. Let’s pay up MV for the good of the order. Don’t be selfish.

    • The wind boats are paying 120k a year to start.
      Two weeks on, two weeks off.
      They do not have clean toilets.
      Why would anyone work for the SSA?
      Such a weak stab at sarcasm.

  4. The SSA is bloated with to much upper level staff. Why do they have an advertising department ?? A general manager with lots of staff. Why not cut back on these things instead of blindly raising rates

  5. Wait a minute the SSA put out that the budget is 5.49 million over yet they are proposing a 16.352 million increase? I never really understood quadratic equations but this math seems mushy to me how about you.

  6. I just paid over $200 to take the boat by myself with the car. How much more do they need to ride a dam boat. It’s too bad the island won’t put their foot down to the ssa and get a completely different company running the show. They are poorly run and are always causing delays or issues. It’s a monopoly that controls the island and it’s time to change. I’ve been on ferry’s larger than the islands and they load and unload boat within 15 min or less and with no hiccups. Why is it the SSA has been doing this for 64 years and they still suck it ? Maybe it’s time to change the board members.

  7. Have we had enough of poor ferry service?
    Is it time for for the SSA to be taken over our state’s largest transportation provider and ferryboat operator.
    The MBTA.
    Be careful of what you wish for.

  8. I’m sure part of the new debt is the unbelievable costs to retrofit the two new freighters. Bubbling bob out former accountant and now manager failed to do due diligence and cost us millions more. His management style is add layers of useless managers. He’s been a joke since day one. Now we are going to pay him his full salary as a consultant as well as a new manager! Time to file a lawsuit against the authority for mismanagement and lack of fiscal responsibility

    • Time to dissolve the SSA.
      Turn it’s assets over the the largest ferryboat operator in the state
      The MBTA.
      No one ever complains about them….

Comments are closed.