Frustration boils over on possible SSA fare increase 

Vineyard residents are pushing back against the idea that the Steamship Authority could raise excursion trip fares, the discounted fee that Islanders pay to get their cars on and off the Island.

Frustrated Islanders, in letters and statements on social media, are accusing the Steamship of wasting money through mismanagement, noting all of the funding that has gone to a new, more-than-$30-million ticket office in Woods Hole, as well as three freight boats that came in significantly over budget. Without wasting that money, Islanders have suggested, ticket prices wouldn’t have to go up.

“This is egregiously unfair,” one Island resident wrote to Steamship officials. “Maybe you would attract more full-paying customers if these concerns were addressed that make their traveling on the ferries, as well as ours, so difficult.”

The suggestion of a possible increase has received regional and even international press — including from CBS and the Daily Mail in the U.K. — outlining the objections to any suggestion that the price could rise.

Members of the Steamship Authority Citizens’ Action Group, who were quoted in both the CBS and Daily Mail reports, say that they are not outright objecting to raising the fees, given inflation. But they also noted that the mismanagement at the Steamship is leading to possible increases for Islanders who need to get ferry rides for medical visits, for birthdays, or even to get groceries — with costs surging on the Island. 

“I think we have major management issues, and we have a board problem,” said Beth O’Connor, one of the founders of the action group. “We have a lot of angry people.” 

The Vineyard Gazette was the first to report last week that the Steamship board was mulling over an increase in excursion fares, which prompted the outcry from residents.

But Steamship officials have pushed back against the idea. Steamship Communications Director Sean Driscoll issued a statement to The Times that any rate adjustments would be made in public meetings, which won’t begin to take place until next week. The Port Council will meet next Tuesday to start discussing the Steamship’s budget. And there will be several Steamship board meetings before anything is finalized.

“Alluding to ‘possible’ excursion fare increases in the media, online, and elsewhere is premature,” Driscoll said. “There will be ample time in the coming weeks for the community to offer input, express concerns, and ask questions, including at an informational open house to be held on the Vineyard.”

But while the process is still far from over, Steamship representatives have not discounted the idea of raising excursion fees, or at least amending the system that is in place. That’s because non-Islander fares are subsidising the excursion rate more and more each year. More travelers have been using excursion fares since 2020, with board members noting that many residents moved to the Island during COVID-19, and are eligible for the fare. At the same time, the number of vehicle trips for non-Islanders has dipped. 

According to data from the Steamship, there were 141,139 excursion trips in 2021 on Steamship ferries, compared with 158,959 in 2024. For the standard fare, the Steamship recorded 291,537 trips in 2021, compared with 241,561 in 2024. The ticket price for excursion customers used to cover about 60 percent of the cost of service, but in 2024, it covered around 26.6 percent of the cost. The standard ticket buyers paid 125.9 percent, the Steamship reports.

The Islanders-only trip costs $106 during the summer months, and $73 in the offseason. For non-Islanders, the same ride can cost up to $320 for tourists in season and $220 out of season.

Additionally, the excursion rate hasn’t increased in years. The local rate increased between $5 and $7 in 2021. 

Meanwhile, the cost of operations has only increased year over year. Last year, the Steamship approved rate increases across the board — excluding excursion fees — to largely offset an increase in salaries. The budget was projected to grow $15 million, although the Steamship was able to shave off around $2 million from the proposed increase when the budget was approved.

This year, Steamship officials are still compiling the proposed budget, Driscoll noted. But board members are expecting another gap in funding in the budget, again due to salary increases. The board approved a new contract with union workers, which meant raises for Steamship staffers.

Board members reached by The Times say that they are going to have to consider all options on the table for balancing the budget, because the system in place isn’t sustainable. “I would love the Islander fare not to go up at all, but the question is if it’s sustainable, and whether it is fair to the other port communities on the Steamship,” said Vineyard board representative Jim Malkin. 

He said that there are a number of alternatives that the Steamship is exploring that could keep the excursion rate lower for Islanders. That could be lowering costs for Islanders getting off for medical appointments, tightening the rules for who is eligible for the excursion rate, or considering different fee structures. One possible solution is allowing only year-round, Vineyard-registered voters access to the excursion rate. Malkin also suggested that there is a “black market” for excursion fees, where some sell their tickets online. He said that the Steamship is working on new infrastructure upgrades that would make it harder to sell tickets to non-Islanders — such as license plate readers that staff could use, rather than relying on paper tickets.

For Falmouth board representative Peter Jeffrey, raising excursion rates is part of a larger funding mechanism challenge that the Steamship is facing, and a wider question of the Island in general –– what he called a lack of a regional response to structural problems. With more, wealthier residents moving to the Vineyard since COVID, and a lack of housing, the Island is becoming more and more reliant on commuters, he noted. Subsidising Islander fares by charging others more isn’t necessarily fair — even to locals — as it could lead to even more inflation on the Island. 

As Falmouth representative, Jeffrey is not willing to keep excursion costs down if it means creating a deficit for the Steamship. Each port community would have to pay for that deficit, with Falmouth on the hook for 10 percent of the deficit.

“To ask the non-Island communities to pay a deficit for the excursion fairs to remain the same, that is asking quite a bit,” Jeffrey said.

While Island residents have pointed fingers at the management for failing to bring down costs, and $32 million for a new terminal and utility building, board representatives to the Island say that they have slowly brought change to the Steamship. 

Malkin noted that Steamship manager Bob Davis — a manager who has faced several complaints from Island residents —has resigned, and the board is actively looking for his replacement. The board has also hired a company to work on improvements to the Steamship’s reservation system, another source of frustration for Islanders. Malkin said that he has been against the construction of a new terminal building, but the project started before he was a board member.

“[Port Council Island representatives] John [Cahill], Joe [Solito], and I share the concerns about the SSA that our friends and neighbors have vocalized,” Malkin said. “We are attempting to work within the structure to gain traction in addressing those issues. It isn’t as fast as we like, and we are just as frustrated as anyone.” 

He noted that they have been attacked by some groups for not making more immediate changes. “We don’t feel it is helpful to antagonize or vilify management or board members,” he said. “In fact, I have found it to be counterproductive to the interest of Vineyarders.”