The Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry (FF-S) gets 4-5% of its operating budget from fares, now $5 a car load. In the 2009-2010 year, the FF-S ferries carried more than 167,000 vehicles and 455,000 passengers.
Captain Sandy Mitchell is a 24-year veteran and works 12 and a half hour days for a week and then is off for a week.
I have read that Southport is afraid of the negative impact an increase will have on their local economy because of a drop in tourists. No doubt Fort Fisher will likewise see a drop, although I think most people visiting the area are primarily there for the beach and nearby North Carolina State Aquarium.
And, like I said, to drive from Fort Fisher, back through Wilmington, then back down the west bank of the Cape Fear River to Southport is about fifty miles. And then, there's that horrible Wilmington traffic.
Here's Hoping for a Smaller, Non-Chicago/Illinois Rate Increase. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Showing posts with label Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry. Show all posts
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry Rates Going Up?-- Part 1
From the October 2nd Wilmington (NC) Star News.
Like every other governmental body in the country, North Carolina is facing budgetary shortfalls and looking for ways to increase funds. One thing under consideration is to raise ferry tolls for the Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry, with one terminus located just south of Fort Fisher and the other across the Cape Fear River at Southport.
Right now, they charge each car a flat $5 a car to cross the river (no charge for passengers), a very scenic and several mile trip. Without the ferry, if you wanted to get to the other side from either terminus, it would involve a drive upriver to Wilmington and back down, about 40-50 miles. And then, there is that horrible Wilmington traffic to contend with.
Thoughts are to raise it as high as $18, but lesser amounts are also under consideration. Raising the rates might very well hurt tourism between the two areas.
Debi Rust of Carolina Beach, four miles north of Fort Fisher, pays $150 a year for a commuter pass to get back and forth from her job at Wells Fargo in Southport. She catches the 7:45 am there and comes back on the 4:45 pm ferry. She says she believes she is being undercharged and wouldn't mind seeing it go up by $50-$100.
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
Like every other governmental body in the country, North Carolina is facing budgetary shortfalls and looking for ways to increase funds. One thing under consideration is to raise ferry tolls for the Fort Fisher-Southport Ferry, with one terminus located just south of Fort Fisher and the other across the Cape Fear River at Southport.
Right now, they charge each car a flat $5 a car to cross the river (no charge for passengers), a very scenic and several mile trip. Without the ferry, if you wanted to get to the other side from either terminus, it would involve a drive upriver to Wilmington and back down, about 40-50 miles. And then, there is that horrible Wilmington traffic to contend with.
Thoughts are to raise it as high as $18, but lesser amounts are also under consideration. Raising the rates might very well hurt tourism between the two areas.
Debi Rust of Carolina Beach, four miles north of Fort Fisher, pays $150 a year for a commuter pass to get back and forth from her job at Wells Fargo in Southport. She catches the 7:45 am there and comes back on the 4:45 pm ferry. She says she believes she is being undercharged and wouldn't mind seeing it go up by $50-$100.
More to Come. --Old B-Runner
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