Title: An act relating to ferry fares.

Brief Description: Expanding considerations in setting ferry fares.

Sponsors: By Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Rockefeller, Oke, Regala, Spanel, Sheldon, Shin, Poulsen, Jacobsen and Kohl-Welles).

Brief History:

Transportation: 3/21/05 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 4/12/05, 98-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 24 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Buck, Campbell, Curtis, Dickerson, Ericksen, Flannigan, Hankins, Hudgins, Jarrett, Kilmer, Lovick, Morris, Nixon, Rodne, Schindler, Sells, Simpson, B. Sullivan, Takko and Upthegrove.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 1 member: Representative Skinner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member.

Staff: Beth Redfield (786-7347).

Background:

For the Department of Transportation, the Tariff Policy Committee reviews state ferry fares on an annual basis. In each odd numbered year, the Tariff Policy Committee submits to the Transportation Commission the results of its review together with recommended changes to the ferry tariffs for the ensuing biennium. After a series of public meetings, the Transportation Commission adopts the tariff in the Washington Administrative Code.

In making its review, the Tariff Policy Committee may consider a number of factors:

• the amount of subsidy available to the ferry system for maintenance and operation;
• the time and distance of ferry runs;
• the maintenance and operation costs for ferry runs with a proper adjustment for higher costs of operating outmoded or less efficient equipment;
• the efficient distribution of traffic between cross-sound routes;
• the desirability of reasonable commutation rates for persons using the ferry system to commute daily to work;
• the effect of proposed fares in increasing walk-on and vehicular passenger use;
• the effect of proposed fares in promoting all types of ferry use during non-peak periods;
• the estimated revenues that are projected to be earned by the ferry system from commercial advertisements, parking, contracts, leases, and other sources; and
• such other factors as prudent managers of a major ferry system would consider.

Summary of Bill:

In setting ferry fares, the Department of Transportation may consider additional factors: the prepurchase of multiple fares, whether for a single rider or multiple riders; and the effect of proposed fares on frequent users who live in ferry dependent communities.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: None.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: None.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.