Steamship Authority eyes some rate hikes. How much more could a trip to the islands cost?

If you like taking your car across the water to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket during the warmer months, you may need to shell out a few extra bucks come next year.

The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority is proposing a series of rate adjustments ahead of 2024, discussed at a Tuesday morning Port Council meeting — including, among several items, price hikes for standard fare vehicles both over and under 20 feet, as well as for parking permits and coupon books.

There are no proposed rate adjustments for passengers, excursion fares for Vineyard and Nantucket residents traveling in vehicles registered on the islands, daily parking fees or freight loads.

Standard fare increases eyed for non-resident vehicles

Steamship Authority Treasurer Mark Rozum said at Tuesday’s meeting that standard fare rate adjustments for vehicles, which pertain to non-island residents, are proposed to increase to both Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

To and from the Vineyard, the price of standard fare vehicles under 20 feet in length would increase by $2 in the shoulder season, $9 in peak season Monday through Thursday and $10 for peak season weekends, Rozum said.

For Nantucket, the price of standard fare vehicles under 20 feet in length would increase by $15 during peak season weekdays and by $25 for the weekends — the price of vehicles 20 feet and over would increase by 4% as well.

How much does it cost to ferry a car to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket now? How will that change?

During peak season, May 15-Sept. 14, it now costs $222 for a weekday, Monday through Thursday, round trip fare for vehicles 17 to 20 feet to and from Martha's Vineyard via Woods Hole, and $270 for weekend trips, Friday to Sunday. The rate increase would bring the new total to $231 for weekday round trips and $280 for weekend round trips.

The off-season roundtrip fares for 17- to 20-foot vehicles to the Vineyard are $148 from Jan. 3-March 31, $216 from April 1-May 14 and from Sept. 15-Oct. 31, and $152 from Nov. 1-Dec. 31.

For the Hyannis to Nantucket peak season run, a weekday, Monday through Thursday, round trip fare for vehicles 17 to 20 feet is now $570, and $640 for a weekend round trip. The rate increase would bring the new total to $585 for weekday round trips and $305 for weekend round trips.

The off-season roundtrip fares for 17- to 20-foot vehicles to Nantucket are $394 from Jan. 3-March 31, $570 from April 1-May 14 and from Sept. 15-Oct. 31, and $400 from Nov. 1-Dec. 31.

Proposed fare hikes align with industry-wide cost increases

Rozum said the rate adjustments for the Vineyard standard vehicle rate would be expected to generate nearly $1.7 million in additional revenue, and the rate adjustments for the Nantucket route would generate around $1.3 million.

Rate adjustments are a part of the annual budget process, said Steamship Authority spokesperson Sean Driscoll. This year he said they factored in overall industry-wide cost increases in the prices of steel and labor, for instance, as well as the schedule for dry docking and maintenance work for vessels like the M/V Nantucket slated for overhaul work early next year.

Driscoll said mainland items also factored into the rate adjustments, such as dock repairs in Vineyard Haven that he said are expected to total around $1 million.

“We look at the projected costs and the projected revenues for the upcoming year based on the previous 12 months of traffic, and then what we're being told by the departments, what they need for maintenance costs and other expenses,” he said.

Rate adjustments also eyed for some coupon books and parking permits

Among the other items proposed for a rate adjustment are the 6-ride auto coupon book for Nantucket and the 10-ride auto coupon book for the Vineyard, expected to increase by $66 and $45 respectively.

It now costs $1,641 for a 6-ride Nantucket auto book with no expiration and $1,386 for one with a two-year expiration. The new costs will go to $1,707 and $1,452 if the rate increases are adopted.

For a 10-ride Martha's Vineyard auto book, it's now $955; the increase, if approved, would bring this to $1,000.

The parking permit fee for the lot at 286 Palmer Ave. in Falmouth is also proposed for a rate adjustment, increasing by $50. Commuters can now buy an annual parking permit for the Palmer Avenue lot for $800. There is another lot in Woods Hole where a $75 increase is proposed for parking permits, but at present there are no permits available, according to the Steamship Authority's parking office.

Port Authority Board will decide whether to adopt the increases

The Port Council, an advisory body, does not have the authority to pass the proposed rate adjustments, Driscoll said.

“It will be up to the (Steamship Authority) board, ultimately,” he said, referring to the governing body made up of five members from Falmouth, Barnstable, New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket — each individually appointed by their respective municipalities. “Their vote will be the one that determines whether or not the rate adjustments go into effect.”

It is not known when the board may vote on the proposed rate increases, but the next board meeting is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at the Oak Bluffs Public Library, 56 School St. All meetings are open to the public and made accessible via remote videoconferencing — visit www.steamshipauthority.com/about/meeting_notices for details.

Walker Armstrong reports on all things Cape and Islands, primarily focusing on transportation and the Joint Base Cape Cod military base. Contact him at WArmstrong@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jd__walker

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Steamship Authority eyes rate hikes to ferry cars to islands