To the Editor:
To address recent media reports and concerns those reports have raised with Island residents, I want to clarify that the Steamship Authority’s proposed draft of the 2026 operating budget is still under development, and no decisions have been made to adjust any of the current fare structures, including the discounted automobile rates provided to year-round residents enrolled in our Excursion Program. Alluding to “possible” excursion fare increases in the media, online, and elsewhere is premature.
To be clear, the Steamship Authority operating budget discussions take place during public meetings, the first of which will be the Port Council meeting held this coming Tuesday. 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. We expect to announce the date, time, and location of that session soon.
The Steamship Authority embraces the importance for our Island neighbors to have safe, reliable, convenient, and affordable transportation to and from the mainland, and we continue to work diligently to offer the best service at the most cost-effective rates possible.
Please visit steamshipauthority.com to access meeting schedules and agendas.
We look forward to engaging in a constructive and civil dialogue with Island residents during upcoming operating budget deliberations.
Sean F. Driscoll, communications director
Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority