New Bedford Plan Retires Schamonchi

If Approved, Private Company Will Run Two Smaller Boats Instead,
Joining Fast Ferry

By JULIA WELLS

After a bumpy three-year journey that spawned some of the most
hostile politics in the history of the Steamship Authority, the New
Bedford passenger ferry Schamonchi will now become a surplus vessel,
boat line governors said yesterday.

SSA managers announced that they had received a bid to operate the
Schamonchi route from an affiliate formed by New England Fast Ferry. A
private ferry consortium that also will run year-round high-speed ferry
service between New Bedford and the Vineyard beginning next summer, New
England Fast Ferry plans to charter two smaller vessels to replace the
Schamonchi.

"The Steamship Authority will no longer be running service to
New Bedford with fast ferries or slow ferries. A private company will
now run both fast and slow service," declared Vineyard authority
governor Kathryn A. Roessel at the monthly boat line meeting.

Held in the Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven on a frigid
morning with light snow, yesterday's meeting was sparsely attended
and only a bare quorum of three board members was present. Nantucket
governor Grace Grossman and New Bedford governor David Oliveira did not
attend because of the weather.

As required by statute, Barnstable governor Robert O'Brien
took the gavel as board chairman for the coming year.

The new affiliate of New England Fast Ferry being formed to run the
Schamonchi route is named New Bedford Traditional Ferry Company. The
principals in both companies are the same.

If the plan is approved, all New Bedford-Vineyard ferry service next
summer will run between the State Pier in the Whaling City and the SSA
pier in Oak Bluffs. The Schamonchi formerly ran out of the Billy Woods
Wharf in New Bedford.

New Bedford city officials want ferry service to run out of the
State Pier because they are hoping to attract more business to downtown
New Bedford.

Turning the Schamonchi route over to a private operator is one step
in a series of acrobatics that the boat line is required to perform in
order to contract for high-speed ferry service from New Bedford. Several
months ago the state auditor told the SSA that it could not discontinue
the Schamonchi route without violating the Pacheco Act, a state law that
forbids state agencies from using private contractors unless a cost
savings can be demonstrated. Now the plan making the Schamonchi route
private must be approved by the state auditor before it can be voted on
by the boat line board.

The Schamonchi has been a huge money loser since the boat line
bought it for $1.7 million in January of 2001. The purchase was
masterminded by former Vineyard boat line governor J.B. Riggs Parker,
who had planned to replace the conventional ferry with high-speed
service.

But the plan for high-speed service went awry for two years during a
period of stormy politics and changeover on the SSA board. Along the way
Mr. Parker lost his seat on the board and the state legislature adopted
new enabling legislation expanding the board of governors from three to
five members. Voting members from Barnstable and New Bedford were added
to the board.

Finally last year the newly constituted board approved a plan to
contract with New England Fast Ferry for the New Bedford service. The
company is building a new high-speed ferry.

At yesterday's meeting SSA chief executive officer Fred C.
Raskin said projections prepared by boat line treasurer Wayne Lamson
show that the SSA would lose $950,000 on the Schamonchi if it continued
to operate next year, because running from the State Pier adds another
20 minutes to the trip, creating the need for a triple crew. Mr. Lamson
said year-end numbers show the Schamonchi lost $750,000 this year.

The SSA put out a request for proposals late last year for a private
operator to take over the Schamonchi route. The deadline for proposals
was three days ago; New England Fast Ferry was the sole bidder. This
came as no surprise, since the fast ferry company contract with the boat
line required that it bid on the Schamonchi service.

The complicated deal includes a plan for the boat line to help
subsidize the service by paying New England Fast Ferry $250,000 a year
for the next two years.

"This represents a savings of $700,000 a year," Mr.
Raskin said.

"The state put handcuffs on us and said we cannot discontinue
the service," Ms. Roessel said.

Mr. Raskin continued to express doubts about the financial viability
of the New Bedford ferry route.

"We are giving away the gravy," complained Sean Burke, a
vessel pilot/mate who clashed with board members on an array of issues.
Boat line unions are opposed to converting the Schamonchi to a private
operation.

"This was not gravy in our portfolio. We started bleeding and
now we are stopping the bleeding," Mr. Raskin shot back.

Instead of using the 650-passenger Schamonchi, New England Fast
Ferry plans to charter two smaller 315-passenger ferries that have been
used for whale-watching excursions. The Portuguese Princess will be the
primary vessel, with the Onset Chief as a backup vessel. The proposal
also includes a provision for allowing passengers to travel on the fast
ferry in the unlikely event both slow boats are full.

If the proposal is approved, fares will go up from $10 to $12 each
way for adults.

Mr. Raskin said the boat line will keep the Schamonchi - for
now - as a surplus vessel. "We're not sure what we
will do with it, but we have some options," Mr. Raskin said. He
said the boat line may consider using the Schamonchi on the inter-Island
run which operates in the summer months between the Vineyard and
Nantucket.

In other business yesterday, SSA managers announced that a weekend
standby program for cars will be tested next July. The program will
allow 15 cars a day to travel on a standby basis.

The board also heard a progress report from engineer Carl Walker on
the design of a new ferry to replace the Islander, and they approved a
new policy that will allow a special exemption for college students on
excursion fares. Students will be allowed to use four excursion trips a
year with no time limit on the return.

Another proposed policy for pet restrictions on the Nantucket fast
ferry Flying Cloud was put off for a month because Mrs. Grossman was not
present. Developed by public relations director Paula Peters, the pet
policy is based on transportation industry standards for pet travel and
includes a provision for keeping pets inside carriers on board the
high-speed ferry.

Ms. Roessel, who often brings her Cairn terrier to meetings, threw
cold water on the proposed policy. "Transportation industry
standards are not Island standards when it comes to dogs," she
said. "Many Island people own labradors and golden retrievers and
they are used to taking their large dogs on leashes on our buses and our
ferries. For the board to even consider a recommendation based on
transportation industry standards could set a terrible precedent."