Washington State Ferries raked in $54.4 million in fares during
the quarter that ended Sept. 30, the most ever, according to the
state Department of Transportation’s quarterly report, Gray
Notebook.
The windfall was the result of more riders paying more money.
Ridership was up 1.2 percent over the same period in 2013. Ticket
prices rose 2.5 percent in May and the peak-season surcharge was in
effect the whole quarter.
It’d be interesting to know how the revenues translated in terms of
farebox recovery, but WSF doesn’t’ calculate it by the quarter
because some of its expenses aren’t spread evenly throughout the
year. Last fiscal year, farebox recovery was 69.7 percent, up from
66.2 percent in 2012, said finance director Jean Baker.
Bainbridge gained the most riders, up 2.3 percent over the previous
year. I don’t have any theories to explain that. Bremerton saw a
1.1 percent increase, Kingston slipped two-tenths of 1 percent and
the Triangle route fell a half percent.
Kingston and Mukilteo-Clinton were dead even for the second-busiest
route, carrying 16.7 and 16.6 percent of the system’s riders,
respectively. That’s just a 9,604-person difference between routes
that each carried more than 1.1 million people. Bainbridge, of
course, led the way with 26.7 percent. I wonder when was the last
time was that wasn’t the case.
From fuller boats come later departures, as it takes longer to load
and unload them. On-time performance dipped to 92.8 percent for the
quarter, missing the goal of 95 percent. On average, 33 out of 470
trips a day didn’t leave the terminal within 10 minutes of the
scheduled time, according to the report.
Bainbridge had 3.8 percent more late boats than the same quarter a
year ago. DOT attributes it to access changes and terminal
construction. The Triangle was right behind with 3.8 percent more,
because of loading challenges at Fauntleroy and the Klahowya’s
speed limitations. When one of the the three ferries on the route
falls behind, the others are also delayed. Bremerton was next at
3.4 percent.
Only 169 trips were totally canceled, for a reliability rate of
99.6 percent. That’s fewer than two out of every 470 daily trips.
The goal is 99 percent.
Had it not been for the Triangle route, reliability would be
pushing perfect. There were 90 cancelations there (out of a system
total of 91) because of schedule resets. That’s when a boat gets so
far behind schedule that a trip has to be canceled for it to get
back on track.
Seventy-eight sailings were canceled because of tides or bad
weather, 62 for crewing, 37 for emergencies and 18 for vessel
breakdowns.
The 62 crewing cancelations were all on the Triangle route or at
the other end of Vashon Island at Point Defiance-Tahlequah. WSF is
addressing the staffing shortages by hiring and training more
deckhands.
Monthly Archives: November 2013
Would you pay more taxes for transportation?
Survey results released by the state Transportation Commission
show that 60 percent of Washington citizens are willing to pay more
for transportation. That must be a different crowd than those
commenting on my
story today about a transportation revenue package. They were
unanimously and graphically against spending another dime.
The Voice of Washington State survey panel got responses from 5,765
people who it says demographically represent the entire state. I
got maybe a dozen from commenters who are typically negative and
unaware. They didn’t surprise me, but the state survey results
did.
It seems people are to the point they don’t want to pay more taxes
for anything, good or bad. For others, it’s a political thing. They
could be billionaires but don’t believe in paying taxes. I think
they’re called the 1 percent.
From that perspective, I’m suspicious about the 60 percent the
survey says are willing to pay more, a 9 percent jump from the 2012
survey.
When asked what benefits would justify a tax increase, 78 said
preserving infrastructure, or basically taking care of what you’ve
got. I don’t know what the other 22 percent were thinking. Just let
it all go to hell?
Sixty-one percent said reducing congestion would make the extra
taxes worthwhile. That percentage would surely rise if everybody
drove the I-5 corridor. What do you suppose President Eisenhower
would say if you told him his interstate system would be the
slowest way to get around?
Third on the list of reasons people would pay more transportation
taxes was expanding transit, at 56 percent. That’s downright
unWestern. Here, we’re all about lanes and driving, usually alone.
That includes me.
Asked to rate the importance of specific transportation components,
84 percent feel maintaining and repairing existing roads, highways
and bridges is important, followed by expanding public transit
services (49 percent) and adding or increasing inter-city passenger
rail service (46 percent). Again, the last two seem out of
character for us, but maybe if I was writing in Seattle or Bellevue
it’d be different.
On average, survey respondents gave Washington’s statewide
transportation system a C-minus grade. Only 20 percent rated it
better than average.
Inslee, Boeing trying to rally after fumble
If Gov. Jay Inslee was trying to pull a fast one by claiming
Boeing was only guaranteed to keep its new 777X jet work here if
the Legislature passed a transportation revenue package, he did a
pretty bad job of it.
Not long after he called a special session Tuesday, the Seattle
Times’ Dominic Gates linked to a
letter of understanding between Boeing and the Machinists Union
said nothing of the sort. All workers have to do to keep the work
in the Puget Sound area is ratify an 8-year deal next week that
would cut their pensions and make them pay more for health care but
give them all $10,000 signing bonuses.
When confronted with the letter, Alex Pietsch, director of Inslee’s
aerospace office, said it ran counter to conversations the governor
had with Boeing.
“They’ve told us both pieces (contract and incentives) have to be
in place,” he said. “We’ve been told this is a two-part deal.
Ever since the crack emerged, Inslee, Boeing and the union have
been trying to seal it. Early Wednesday evening, Inslee spokesman
David Postman said he just received a short letter from Boeing and
that company officials told legislative leaders in a conference
call that afternoon that the company’s decision to locate the
project in Washington state is dependent on approval of the new
machinists contract and on the legislative package proposed by the
governor Tuesday.
“Pursuant to our discussions this week, Boeing is committed to
placing 777X final assembly and wing fabrication in the Puget Sound
region,” it read. “This commitment, however, will be solidified if
the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
(IAM) District 751 contract proposal is ratified in a vote by the
membership next week and favorable economic incentives are
implemented by the State of Washington.”
The letter is signed by Ray Conner, president and CEO of Boeing’s
commercial airplanes division.
He said it would be “solidified” by a new contact and incentives,
but nothing about deal-breakers.
At about the same time Wednesday, the union sent out a statement
that Postman relayed to the media.
“District 751 Legislative Director Larry Brown is leading a
10-member delegation to Olympia tomorrow to personally lobby
legislators to support the Governor’s package of 777X proposals,
including the transportation plan,” it read. “Any suggestion that
the union thinks Legislative action isn’t necessary is simply
wrong.”
Then late Thursday morning, Postman sent out a letter he said had
just been hand-delivered, from Boeing Senior Vice President for
Government Operations Tim Keating.
“I want to confirm that in proposing your package of incentives for
legislative consideration, you have correctly interpreted our
previous conversations about the elements needed for us to be
competitive long into the future in Washington State, and the need
for timely action to show partnership with our workforce,” it
states.
“We are appreciative that you have convened a special session of
the Legislature to achieve the results that are necessary for the
Boeing Company to locate a 777X program in Washington State.
“Your proposal for workforce investments, permitting efficiencies,
tax incentives, water quality regulations and transportation
infrastructure improvements, in combination with a forward looking
agreement with our workforce, will ensure our lasting
competitiveness in Washington State.”
Interpreting what local lawmakers have told me, it’s not likely a
transpiration revenue package can get passed during this special
session. The Senate’s Majority Caucus Coalition wants it to come
with reforms to the way the Department of Transportation conducts
business. That will take some time, and Boeing will be OK with
that. They expect other incentives like job training, permit
streamlining and extending tax breaks shouldn’t take much time at
all and should get done before machinists go to vote on
Wednesday.
Boeing incentive bill already getting public hearing
The House Finance Committee is holding a public hearing today at
1:30 on the Boeing incentive bill. Not a lot of heads-up for those
who wanted to go down and testify. OK, so there probably wouldn’t
have been a stampede to Olympia anyway.Here’s how the title of the
bill, HB 2089, reads:
“Incentivizing a long-term commitment to maintain and grow jobs in
the aerospace industry in Washington state by extending the
expiration date of aerospace tax preferences and expanding the
sales and use tax exemption for the construction of new facilities
used to manufacture superefficient airplanes to include the
construction of new facilities used to manufacture commercial
airplanes or the wings or fuselage of commercial airplanes.
The bill is 28 pages long. I haven’t had time to read all of it
yet. Probably nobody, even the legislators, have. You can be among
the first by going
here.
Amtrak adding Cascades trains for Thanksgiving week
Somehow, holiday traffic has gotten so bad on Interstate 5 between Tacoma and Centralia that it’s barely worth going. That’s one place where Amtrak is a decent option, and it will be moreso during Thanksgiving week.
Amtrak will add four trains along the Amtrak Cascades route between Portland and Seattle from Wednesday, Nov. 27, through Sunday, Dec.1.
Thanksgiving week is typically Amtrak’s busiest travel period of the year. The heaviest travel days are Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and Sunday after the holiday. With the exception of Thanksgiving Day, morning trains typically have more available seats than those in the afternoon and evening.
Regular one-way adult fares between Seattle and Portland start as low as $33. All Amtrak Cascades trains require reservations. Passengers are encouraged to purchase tickets early to obtain the lowest fare. The additional trains will not have business class or checked baggage.
Visit www.AmtrakCascades.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for reservations and information.