09/24/2009: "Distler Votes For Additional WSF Fares"

a 10% summer surcharge on top of the existing "peak season" surcharge on San Juan routes has been nixed by the Washington State Transportation Commission. The surcharge had been proposed to be on top of the 7.5% proposed inter-island car/driver increase on the San Juan inter-island run.

San Juan County had high hopes for some influence on the ferry system when Orcas resident Bob Distler was appointed to the Commission, but Distler was one of two that voted against the motion to not impose the additional fee.

The proposal for the 2.5 percent increase, and the existing 25 percent peak-season surcharge for vehicles, imposed each year from May 1 to the second Sunday in October, also remains in effect. The rejected 10 percent surcharge would have been an additional charge. The approved increases, the first in two years, takes effect Oct. 11.

The Commission also approved the following elements within the fare proposal:

* Applying a 2.5 percent across-the-board general fare increase.
* Converting the in-need organization discount pilot program into a permanent program.
* Allowing WSF to collect between 25 to 100 percent of the applicable fare as a non-refundable deposit for advance vehicle reservations on routes with a reservation system. This would be a pre-payment of a portion of or the entire fare and is not an additional fee.
* Eliminating the tollbooth surcharge for multi-ride fare purchases (which had not been implemented).
* Moving toward further implementation of tariff equity affecting San Juan inter-island fares by adding 5 percent on top of the 2.5 percent general increase.
* Allowing WSF flexibility to enter into agreements with fire districts for free passage when on emergency calls in lieu of payment for fire protection services at ferry terminals.

The Commission is designated the State Tolling Authority and as such, sets all state highway and bridge tolls as well as setting fares for Washington State Ferries.