Islanders will have another chance to tell ferry officials their thoughts on the new reservation system under development.
The Steamship Authority is holding its second series of open houses for its True North initiative to replace the ferry line’s reservation system. The Martha’s Vineyard session will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22, from 5:30 to 7 pm, at the Tisbury Emergency Services Facility.
According to a press release from the ferry line, the True North project team will be available at the workshops to “discuss reservation policy changes that are under review as part of the change to the new system.” Attendees will also be able to ask questions and share feedback on the policies and the project.
The replacement of the outdated reservation systems has been a much-anticipated project for Islanders, as current operations have been heavily scrutinized by locals who have often experienced glitches when trying to make reservations. This scrutiny was exacerbated after the cost of a new website the Steamship had been working on ballooned to nearly $3 million. The project was ultimately tabled, but a recent report from the Office of the Inspector General found that the shelved website development shouldn’t have happened without a new reservation system in place.
The Steamship Authority previously held sessions about the project, including in Tisbury last month, where ferry representatives revealed plans to include a new website with a revamped reservation system, utilizing a program already used by other ferry lines.
Those who cannot make the Tisbury session can join virtually on Jan. 23, when a hybrid meeting with the Falmouth community will be hosted at the Steamship Authority Administrative Offices from noon to 2 pm. The Zoom link can be accessed at bit.ly/TrueNorthtownhall.
Questions about the open houses can be sent to truenorth@steamshipauthority.com.
