Route equity on Washington State Ferries

WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES

TARIFF ROUTE EQUITY CALCULATION as of March 11, 2002
Route	Route length (nautical miles)	Std. crossing time *	total time **	adjusted for sheds ***	target fare relation	current fare relation	proposed fare relation
Using a standard vessel, route distances are converted to standard crossing times. Terminal and accel/decel time are added to arrive at a standard one-way total time. **Adjustments are made for routes that serve the same area.
Anacortes-Lopez	9.4	34	54	54	1.15	1.06	1.11
Anacortes-Orcas	12.4	45	65	65	1.38	1.25	1.31
Anacortes-Shaw	12.4	45	65	65	1.38	1.25	1.31
Anacortes-Friday Harbor	15.8	58	78	78	1.64	1.41	1.47
Edmonds-Kingston	4.5	16	36	47	1.00	1.00	1.00
Seattle-Bremerton	13.5	49	69	47	1.00	1.00	1.00
Seattle-Bainbridge	7.5	27	47	47	1.00	1.00	1.00
Fauntleroy-Southworth	4.4	16	36	36	0.77	0.88	0.78
Keystone-Port Townsend	4.3	16	36	36	0.75	0.88	0.78
Southworth-Vashon	1.6	6	26	30	0.64	0.64	0.65
Fauntleroy-Vashon	2.8	10	30	30	0.64	0.64	0.65
Point Defiance-Tahlequah	1.5	5	25	30	0.64	0.64	0.65
Mulilteo-Clinton	2.2	8	28	28	0.59	0.63	0.61

WSF wants islanders' opinion on two-tier pricing system

posted 03/11/02
Do islanders want a day-of-the-week pricing system and would they prefer the reduced fares on Sunday-Tuesday or Monday-Wednesday? Washington State Ferries staff including new CEO Michael G. Thorne traveled to the islands last week (March 6, 2002) to find out. The attendance at each of the forums held on Lopez, Orcas and Friday Harbor averaged about 20 residents. Opinions are still being gathered via a feedback form on the WSF Web site. A final decision on the two-tier pricing system will be made April 4, 2002.

WSF Planning Director Ray Deardorf said the day-of-week pricing idea was a result of input from San Juan Islanders at last year's forums. In response to early input from islanders, an additional option was added. Deardorf asked if residents would prefer to see the lower fares on Sunday through Tuesday rather than Monday through Wednesday. At the Friday Harbor forum, nine participants voted for the Sun-Tues option, one voted for the Mon-Wed and five preferred neither option.

Friday Harbor resident Jan Osborn said most islanders would be unaffected since they use tickets from commuter books. Alice Tawresey, chair of the WSF Tariff Policy Committee, said 35 percent of drivers on the Anacortes-San Juans route use the frequent user tickets.

The open house format provided opportunities for residents to ask questions of WSF officials, Tariff Policy Committee members, and San Juan Ferry Advisory Committee members. Tawresey explained the tariff policy committee's work. "It looks at the total dollar, rearranges deck chairs, and decides who will pay which portion. We try to make fares rational." The committee has adopted route equity as the basis for the fares. Rates are based on distance.

In an effort to accomplish route equity, the fare increases in the San Juans have been higher than on other routes. The proposed fare increase for 2002 is 12.5 percent system-wide and an additional 5 percent in the San Juans. The only route not based on distance is the Sidney, B.C. run. That route is based on market comparisons to other British Columbia routes.

The chart below shows the relationship between the proposed fare and the percentage needed to achieve route equity. For example, fares for the Anacortes-Friday Harbor route need to be priced 1.64 times the Seattle-Bainbridge route in order to meet route equity. If the proposed fares are adopted the route will be 1.47 times the Bainbridge route.

WSF Planning Director Ray Deardorf noted the Anacortes-Lopez route will also be at the target after the 2002 increases. Therefore future fare increases for Lopez will be less than for Shaw, Orcas and San Juan Islands.

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WSF wants islanders' opinion on two-tier pricing system