Date:
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Contact:
Susan Harris-Huether, Customer Information Manager, 206.515.3460
SEATTLE - Washington State Ferries will be introducing its new electronic fare collection system to Seattle, Bainbridge, Bremerton and Seattle/Vashon Passenger-only ferry customers on Tuesday, March 27 and Wednesday, March 28, 2007. This means that frequent user ticket books, for both car and driver and passengers, will not be available after Monday, March 26. The ticket books will be replaced with a bar-coded, scanable multi-ride card, carrying the same amount of rides and the same discount as the frequent user books as well as the same 90-day expiration date.
"Frequent user tickets for the Seattle/Bainbridge, Seattle/Bremerton and Vashon Passenger-only routes will be accepted on this route until their expiration date," says Traci Brewer-Rogstad, Director of Marine Operations. "We want this transition from our old point of sale system to our new electronic system to be as easy as possible for our customers."
The multi-ride cards will be available from kiosks at each terminal as well as through the Internet (www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) and at all terminal tollbooths.
With the introduction of Wave2Go, single full fare tickets will be available for pre-purchase up to seven days in advance, a first for Washington State Ferries. All other tickets will also be available on the Internet and at kiosks at the terminals as well as at the terminal tollbooths. This includes senior/disabled tickets, as well as multi-ride passenger and vehicle/driver single fares and multi-ride cards. All tickets purchased via the Internet can be printed at home on a personal printer and scanned at the tollbooth or at a turnstile.
"With the capability of advance purchase, we expect that customers will spend less time at the tollbooth purchasing fares," adds Ms. Brewer-Rogstad. "The multi-ride passenger card can be shared by a family or group traveling together. The car and driver multi-ride card can only be used by one car per sailing."
Frequent ferry users will also have the opportunity to sign up for an automatic ReValue for their multi-ride (frequent user) car and driver and passenger card. This means that as a multi-ride card expires or a customer uses all the rides, the card will automatically revalue or replenish with the next ten rides for a car and driver card or passenger card. It also allows a customer to put a hold on a card if it is lost or stolen and then be re-issued a new card with the remaining rides.
Ferry system staff will be on board the ferries on these routes during commute hours from March 21-26 to show customers how the system works prior to the official launch. Staff will also be available for a week after the launch to help customers adjust to the new system.
"As with any new system, the transition period may be difficult for some customers," adds Ms. Brewer-Rogstad. "We ask that our customers be patient during this time. If they have any problems, whether at a turnstile, a tollbooth or online, let us know. Our staff is available to help make this transition as easy as possible."
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