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Fast Ferry reports increase in advance bookings
By DON CUDDY
Standard Times staff writer
 NEW
BEDFORD — As the New England Fast Ferry enters the
fourth year of its eight-year licensing agreement to
link New Bedford with Martha's Vineyard, the outlook is
bright, according to company President Michael Glasfeld.
"We're very happy with the key trends we're seeing.
Advance bookings are up more than 30 percent over last
year. Also, weekend travel is up 15 percent over the
last couple of weekends, which shows winter is gone and
people are beginning to come out."
The ferry draws on three disparate groups for its
ridership, Mr. Glasfeld said.
"In winter it's mostly contractors going out there,
building or renovating homes. That was off this year,
which reflects the downturn in the building trade. The
other segments are vacationers, who come principally
from New Jersey and Connecticut, and then you have
day-trippers who are mostly from Rhode Island and the
SouthCoast."
To reach out-of-state visitors, the ferry relies on
electronic media. "The first thing visitors do is book
their B&B or their vacation rental. Then they think
about getting over there. So we spend a lot of time
inhouse, massaging the search engines," he said. "If
someone types in 'MV ferry' we want to be in the top
four results. You have to figure out what clients are
thinking, so it also has to include folks who might
misspell 'ferry' or 'New Bedford.'
More passengers are welcome since the cost of fuel has
been an ongoing concern. A ferry burns about 100 gallons
of fuel on each leg of a trip. "Three years ago, fuel
was 80 cents per gallon, and now it's $2.10. It's our
single biggest line item," Mr. Glasfeld reported.
John Tiernan is general manager of the fast ferry. An
island resident, his family has lived on the Vineyard
for 150 years.
"For a walk-on service like ours, to see advance
bookings increase 30 percent is unprecedented," he said.
"Islanders are skeptical people, but I think the fast
ferry is winning them over. We're starting to see our
athletic teams going to New Bedford; more people are
going for their medical appointments and, from the third
grade up, school kids are going there on field trips."
Anne Brengle, executive director of the New Bedford
Whaling Museum, has witnessed the contribution that the
ferry has made to the city. "My office is on Union
Street, so I see the people going by with bags and
suitcases. Our paid visitations are up 10 percent this
year, and that is because we now have groups and school
trips coming to the museum from the island."
Another beneficiary has been Town Car Travel, which
offers travelers connections to and from the Providence
Amtrak station and T.F. Green Airport.
Vice President Stephen Higginbottom Jr. has seen his
business pick up since becoming partners with the ferry.
"They run a good business," he said, "and we enjoy
working with their clientele."
Mr. Tiernan said he believes that comfort and
reliability have been key factors in the company's
success.
"The other fast ferries use jets," he said. "We have
conventional propellers, but our boats have trim tabs
for stability. These are computer actuated and can
adjust for any sea conditions once the boat is up to
speed."
Both ferries operating on the route are also products of
New England, built at Derecktor Shipyard in Bridgeport,
Conn.
Speaking last Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Tiernan noted
that weather had forced cancellation of the Steamship
Authority boat to Oak Bluffs that morning, but the fast
ferry had arrived from New Bedford, as scheduled. "The
nor'easter was kicking our butt but people getting off
that boat were amazed at how smooth the ride was," he
said.
While running a successful business is the first
priority, its relationship with New Bedford is also
important to his company, Mr. Glasfeld said.
"We're stalwart supporters of the city, and I feel proud
that we have a knock-on positive effect. We're also
probably the biggest advertisers for New Bedford. We
spend $250,000 annually promoting our service. We have
ads on Comcast and on area radio stations, and we also
have our billboards."
However the main reason ridership has increased is
because travelers are recognizing the service as a
better option, he said.
"We spend a lot on educating Bostonians about the
advantages of avoiding the bridge. Most people are smart
enough to see that."
Although more passengers could lead to future expansion,
the company will continue to act prudently. "We're
always looking at opportunities. We could probably
triple our capacity on a great weekend in the summer,
but you have to balance that against the winter, so it's
a constant tension. We're now looking at an invitation
to bid on service from New Bedford to Woods Hole put out
by the city of New Bedford."
Publication date: June 17, 2007
EXPRESS FERRY FARES
One way $29 Round trip $58; Child 3 to 12 $15/$30;
Children under 3 travel free with a parent.; Senior
(over 60) $25/$50; Bicycle $5/$10. 10 trip commuter book
$230
www.mvexpressferry.com |
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