By: Niki King
Bremerton Sun
October 8, 2003
In a rare move, the Kitsap Transit Board of Commissioners delayed approving a contract for a new operator of the Bremerton-Port Orchard foot ferry route Tuesday after three private ferry operators logged complaints against it.
Kitsap Transit wants to award the $670,000 contract, which is good for five years, to Kitsap Harbor Tours.
The transit agency's specifications for a new operator have been a lightning rod for complaints as operators have said plans for the run are ill-advised.
Kitsap Transit wants to replace the current vessels with two fast ferries that would leave every 15 minutes, as an independent study suggested, instead of every 30.
Operators said that such a schedule would be too difficult and costly to maintain and that the bidding process was unfairly skewed toward Kitsap Harbor Tours. They claimed that the vessels called for in the proposal were such a close match with Harbor Tours' boats that other companies were excluded.
On Tuesday, some of those operators came forward and addressed their concerns to the board.
Hilton Smith, owner of Horluck Transportation, the company that now operates the route, said the ferries Kitsap Harbor Tours would put on the route would not be big enough during peak hours. The Admiral Pete carries 82 people, but has only 46 inside seats. The General Chesty carries 45 people, with 24 seats inside. The rest is standing room or outside seating.
Smith said that during bad weather, there wouldn't be room for all the people.
In a letter to the board, Smith wrote that, "on the 6:30 a.m. run last Wednesday, a typical weekday, the ferry carried 87 passengers from Port Orchard to Bremerton and on the 6:30 a.m. from Annapolis to Bremerton, 69 passengers. Similar passenger loads occur at 4:15 and 4:40 p.m. each weekday. Changes in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard shift schedules have, in the past, swelled passenger counts to as high as 120 on these same runs."
"They'll be packed in like sardines," Smith said.
Smith suggested that the board require test runs to see if people can actually fit on the boats, especially in rough weather.
Kitsap Transit responded that people will pick which departure fits their needs and disperse naturally. John Clauson, service development director, gave the example that at 7 a.m. one of the main shifts at the shipyard begins and at 7:20 one of the car ferries leaves from Bremerton for Seattle.
"The divide of ridership fits well," Clauson said.
Kitsap Transit officials also said they could always add the Carlisle II to address major capacity problems. Kitsap Harbor Tours also could provide another boat, they said.
"I think we have capacity covered," said Richard Hayes, Kitsap Transit executive director.
John Blackman of Seattle-based Argosy Cruises said that the private consulting firm poorly advised Kitsap Transit to provide intervals of 15 minute between departures. He said the route has been served by 30-minute departures for years and people have not requested more frequent service.
Clauson said the 15-minute departures would better serve the riders trying to connect with car ferries. They represent about 20 percent of those on the route.
Hayes has in the past cited another rationale. If the passenger-only plan going to a vote Nov. 4 passes, then the route would already be geared to match up with those boats.
After hearing all of the concerns, the board agreed to get a copy of the contract and read it before making a final determination next month.
"This is a major change in the way we do business and I don't know if we have all the information we need to make a decision," said County Commissioner Chris Endresen.
Hayes said that if the board eventually approves the contract, a delay would have little impact. If it doesn't, then that could cause "some level of chaos," he said.
The new operator is slated to begin in January.
