Title: An act relating to ferry fares.

Brief Description: Considering prepurchase of multiple ferry fares.

Sponsors: Representatives Kilmer, Lantz, Appleton, Quall, Darneille, Morris, Kagi, Haigh and McDermott.

Brief History:

Transportation: 2/24/05, 3/3/05 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 15 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Appleton, Campbell, Dickerson, Hudgins, Kilmer, Lovick, Morris, Sells, Simpson, B. Sullivan, Takko, Upthegrove and Wood.

Minority Report: Without recommendation. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Skinner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Buck, Curtis, Ericksen, Hankins, Jarrett, Schindler and Shabro.

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 nonpeak 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 Substitute 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.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

Added to the factors that may be considered by the Tariff Policy Committee when setting fares is a consideration of the effect of proposed fares on frequent users who live in ferry dependent communities.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

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

Testimony For: The bill will allow officials to consider letting more than one fare to be swiped from a card. For example, if you have a multiple ride card, and you commute from Kitsap to Seattle, and you want to take your child to work on "Take Your Child to Work Day," you could swipe the card twice on the same trip. As it stands now, the Tariff Policy Committee isn't granted the right to consider this.

It's a customer service and quality of life thing. A lot of families go to ball games, they want to come in and swipe the card. No reason to buy five cards for five people. It won't cost the state anything. In other ventures, such as a community theater in Kitsap County, we did this to raise money, because a lot of the prepaid passes were not used. The military has already bought the coupon books and sold them at cost to their members. How will that be dealt with? Important to the community that military members get this advantage.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Gene Straw, Silverdale Chamber of Commerce; and Bryan Petro, Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.