WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES

WSF Origin and Destination Survey released

Washington State Ferries has completed an Origin and Destination On Board Survey Report. The surveys are conducted every six or seven years, the previous one was done in 1999. The surveys asked passengers about their typical routes, how they get to and from the ferry terminal, and the purpose of their trips. The results are used by WSF planners and decision makers in long-range planning.

WSF conducted the surveys onboard more than 300 sailings around the ferry system between October 14 and November 4, 2006.The survey evaluated topics such as when people were traveling, what mode of transportation they used, travel origins and destinations.Of the 31,663 surveys distributed to ferry passengers, WSF received 13,801 survey responses, a return rate of more than 43 percent.

The survey found out:

• Where are passengers traveling to?
  
  
• What additional transit options would ferry riders like to see?
  
  
• What percentage of passengers drive, bike or walk to or from the ferry?
  
  
• How far away do people travel to get to or from a specific ferry run?
  
  
• What type of fare do people pay to ride the ferry?
  
  
• How many passengers telecommute, and if so, how many days per week?

Key findings for the San Juan Route include:

• Among all travel corridors, the San Juan Islands reported the lowest percent of work • trips and the highest percent of recreational trips.
  
  
• Within the San Juan Island corridor, work trips are increasing – with a rise from 31 percent in 1999 to 40 percent in 2006. This is different from most of the rest of the system, where work trips have been dropping slightly.
  
  
• Half of all passengers are not making return trips on the same day they departed.
  
  
• More travelers tend to head to and from San Juan Island on weekdays and Orcas Island on weekends.
  
  

The report is available online. The report is available in an executive summary and in the entire 545-page version. Included are the survey questions and the raw data.

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