PORTLAND (WGME) — Getting to and from the islands in Casco Bay is going to cost you more this summer.
The company that runs the ferry line is proposing a double-digit percentage increase on fares.
The cost of a ticket to ride the ferry roundtrip is currently $14, and it could be increasing to $17 — a 21% hike.
Ferry service officials say operating costs continue to rise, and the line is currently facing about a $3 million operating deficit.
This marks the second ticket price increase in three years.
The increases would apply to roundtrip adult tickets during peak season, which runs from mid-April to mid-October.
“We want to make sure the ferry is sustainable while also really protecting affordability for islanders through the pass system,” treasurer and chair of the Casco Bay finance committee Jean Hoffman said.
The cost for 30-day passes would also increase from $48 to $51.
The proposed changes come after the district’s board of directors approved a rate hike for ferry cars last year.
“Everything is going up. I’m sure that their fuel costs are going up and what they have to pay people to be able to live is going up,” ferry passenger Stephen Sanders said.
Casco Bay Lines general manager, Ben Dinsmore, says peak season averages around 700,000 trips, which is more than double the off season months.
“It won’t make a difference. I see droves of people coming in the summer, so the people that really live out there won’t be affected,” ferry passenger Anne Dennison said.
Casco Bay Lines says the proposed rate increases are not final and encourages customers to share their feedback with them about the possible changes.
