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October 29, 2008
Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry returns to winter schedule  The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has announced changes to its schedule on the Hatteras to Ocracoke route. The division typically changes to a winter schedule in the fall, and, in addition, said spokesperson Lucy Wallace, the reduced runs will save fuel. Ferries are now making hourly runs instead of half-hour runs from 5 a.m. until midnight daily, based upon traffic demands. Double-ender vessels will be used on first and second runs to increase capacity and ensure vendor traffic is handled. According to Hal Scarborough, shift supervisor for the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry, the double-ender vessels are larger to accommodate more vehicles and more easily accommodate large buses and 18-wheeler trucks. The 10 p.m. departure will not run unless there is significant traffic. An amended schedule will be run over the holidays to allow for visitors. From Nov. 25-30 and from Dec. 16 until Jan. 5, 2009, half-hour runs will be added from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., with the hourly runs continuing as stated above. Also if traffic is heavy, half-hour runs will be added as early as 7:30 a.m. through as late as 6:30 p.m. Additional ferries will be available to assist with traffic, if needed, and a contingency plan is in place in the event of special circumstances. According to director Jack Cahoon, fuel costs for the entire Ferry Division are $2.3 million year to date, compared to last year’s $1.54 million. In July, August. and September, fuel costs exceeded the previous year by $746,328. Cahoon also said that the Ferry Division has been mandated to cut its budget by $1.9 million and that not just Hatteras will be affected. He said that some runs will be eliminated at on the Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach route beginning in 2009, and all routes are being scrutinized. Wallace said that traffic on the state’s ferry is down overall 11 percent this year. The September traffic on the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry was down about 25 percent. The ferries carried 79,687 vehicles last month, compared to 108,227 in September, 2007 – a decrease of about 25 percent. Also in September, 30,824 vehicles crossed Hatteras Inlet on the ferries, compared to 41,783 last year – again a drop of about 25 percent. Wallace noted that gas prices were still on the steep side in September. “I think the economy is the reason, it’s down,” she said. “That is my personal opinion.” |
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