Ferry fare $1 surcharge begins May 17
/A $1 surcharge on most ferry trips on the Whatcom Chief will begin on Monday, May 17. Student, needs-based, and qualified senior/disabled fares are exempt. All ferry punch cards purchased before May 17 will be honored at face value. Replacement of lost or damaged existing punch cards, after the program starts, will incur the surcharge.
Examples of how the surcharge will impact riders:
Passenger/pedestrian 1 round trip will increase from $7 to $8
Passenger/pedestrian 25 round trip multi-ride punch card will increase from $88 to $113. ($1 per trip increase.)
Farewell to the Chief
On March 23, the Whatcom County Council unanimously passed, with the support of the Lummi Island Ferry Advisory Committee, a $1 surcharge on most ferry trips. The money will go to a dedicated fund to help pay capital expenditures for a new ferry vessel and modifications to the ferry docks in order to accommodate the new vessel. A new vessel and dock upgrades are expected to cost around $35 million. Construction of the new ferry can’t start until the county has secured at least $32.9 million. No single source will cover the entire cost. The county is applying for state and federal funding to help make up the difference.
The new diesel battery hybrid vessel will accommodate 34 cars and 150 passengers.
The Whatcom Chief will be more than 60 years old when the proposed new ferry replaces it. Ferries of the Chief’s type are built to last 40-60 years, depending on maintenance and wear-and-tear factors. It has exceeded its useful life. The Public Works Department has gone through a systematic process to identify a new ferry vessel design that meets the needs of island residents, taxpayers, vessel crew members, the environment, and required regulations. More information is available on the new ferry vessel webpage.
