Starting today, it’s going to cost you more to commute by ferry in and around the Puget Sound—unless you have a small car.
Walk-on ferry passengers will pay 15 cents more to sail from Seattle to Bainbridge Island. Passenger fares are going up 2 percent are vehicle fares are increasing by 3 percent to help the ferry system meet its revenue target.
But for those who drive onto the ferry, it pays to have a small car. Cars shorter than 14 feet will receive a discount.
“There are a number of people who felt that their small cars shouldn’t have to pay that a large truck a pickup should pay, because they’re much smaller, not quite half the size,” said Susan Harris-Huethur of the state Department of Transportation. “They take up less space, and they felt they should be charged accordingly.”
And the state Transportation Board agreed. A driver in a smaller-sized car will pay almost $3 less to sail from Seattle to Bainbridge Island. Harris-Huethur said the state ferry system has been gradually discounting these smaller-sized vehicles.
Youth passengers are also getting a steeper discount than before, and will get half off of a regular adult fare.
