(SitNews) Juneau, Alaska - The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) announced this week that fares on the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) will increase 4.5 percent for travel beginning May 1, 2015.

The new fare structure will go into effect January 1, 2015. The rate increase will not affect reservations made prior to the effective date.

Some fares will not be affected by the new tariff structure. Fares that are disproportionately higher than the majority of AMHS fares will remain unchanged.

“In 2005 AMHS revenues accounted for nearly half of the system’s operating budget. Today revenues cover less than one third of the operating budget,” said ADOT&PF Deputy Commissioner Reuben Yost.

The fare increase will help cover operating costs and meet revenue targets for AMHS. In 2013 revenues recovered approximately 31 percent of AMHS operating costs, which required $119.3 million from the state General Fund. The fare increase is the first since 2007 and is expected to generate an additional $1.8 million in revenue.

The fare increase is consistent with preliminary tariff recommendations that were presented to the Marine Transportation Advisory Board on December 12, 2014. A copy of the meeting packet, including the presentation, is available at dot.alaska.gov/mtab.

Travelers are encouraged to make reservations in advance either online at FerryAlaska.com, by calling 1-800-642-0066, or visiting ferry terminal staff throughout the system. Making advance reservations is the best way to guarantee space for passengers and vehicles, and it allows the system to operate more efficiently. Fare information is available online or from reservations agents.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News: 

Alaska Department of Transportation
www.dot.state.ak.us

SitNews ©2014
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews may be protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper sources. E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.