After hearing public comment from meetings on the Kitsap Peninsula, in the San Juan Islands and on Vashon Island, the Washington State Transportation Commission decided today at the Puget Sound Regional Council to increase fares on state ferries, including the Fauntleroy Ferry.

View the proposal here. A proposal for a 10 percent summer surcharge that would be charged for the months of July and August was rejected.

New fares and policies go into effect Oct. 11. The commission is designated as the state tolling authority and sets all state highway and bridge tolls, as well as setting fares for Washington State Ferries.

The proposal includes these elements:

- Applying a 2.5 percent across-the-board general fare increase.

- Making the in-need organization discount permanent (now a pilot program).

- Allowing Washington State Ferries to collect between 25 to 100 percent of the applicable fare as a non-refundable deposit for advance vehicle reservations on routes with a reservation system. This would be a pre-payment of a portion of or the entire fare and is not an additional fee.

- Eliminating the tollbooth surcharge for multi-ride fare purchases (which had not been implemented).

- Moving toward further implementation of tariff equity affecting San Juan inter-island fares by adding five percent on top of the 2.5 percent general increase.

- Allowing Washington State Ferries flexibility to enter into agreements with fire districts for free passage when on emergency calls in lieu of payment for fire protection services at ferry terminals.

- (Rejected by the Commission) Applying a 10 percent “peak summer surcharge” to only single fare purchases (not applicable to multi-ride/frequent user fares). The peak summer surcharge would be in effect between the end of June and the day after Labor Day.