The Steamship Authority (SSA) will be honoring men and women who served in the U.S. military with lower ticket rates starting on Veterans Day.
The SSA will be once again bringing back its annual free rides for veterans on the Nov. 11 federal holiday, which is also when the ferry line will begin a new discount rate for veterans living on the Island.
“The new veterans discount program is a small way that the Steamship Authority can thank the men and women who have served our country,” SSA General Manager Alex Kryska said in a press release. “Veterans are important members of our communities, and we’re proud to demonstrate our appreciation for their service and sacrifice.”
The new program was approved by the ferry line’s board in August and will be accessible to honorably discharged veterans in the SSA port communities of Martha’s Vineyard, Barnstable, Nantucket, Falmouth, and New Bedford.
Veterans’ discounts are the same as those offered to senior citizens: half-off a passenger ticket for regular ferries and 25 percent off the cost of the high-speed ferry that sails between Hyannis and Nantucket.
Meanwhile, “all veterans — including active duty, military veterans, and retired military veterans — who have a valid military ID showing their active duty, honorable discharge or retired status” can get free passenger tickets on all SSA vessels on Veterans Day.
A Real ID that shows veteran status can also be used as a form of identification. The Veterans Day free fare program doesn’t extend to accompanying passengers or vehicle reservations.
More details on the programs can be found at https://www.steamshipauthority.com/veterans.
