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The commission for the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) approved a new fare schedule for the ferry, the DRBA announced on Monday, Feb. 5. The new rates will go into effect on Monday, Apr. 1.
In-season fares for standard vehicles and motorcycles will go up by $1. Fares will go up by $2 for vehicles 26 to 45 feet long, and $3 for vehicles longer than 46 feet.
The "no show" fee will also increase from $10 to $26 to get more people to cancel or modify a booking instead of abandoning it. This would allow the ferry to predict demand and sell unused seats.
Based on 2023 traffic data, the DRBA said the new fare structure is expected to give the agency $211,000 in additional revenue.
"After considering all public comments at our virtual presentation, we believe these modifications are reasonable and will create more multi-trip transactions while generating additional revenue for the Ferry system," DRBA ferry operations director Heath Gehrke said.
Under an improved loyalty rewards program, travelers will be able to earn points and a free passenger or driver trip for every ten trips taken.
"We’re also creating a loyalty rewards members program similar to what the airlines offer," Gehrke said. "The goal is to reward those who frequently travel and encourage them to prebook online, which, in turn, helps us better to predict customer demand."
There will also be an optional priority boarding fee of $5 to allow passengers to get on the ferry earlier. This will not affect preboarding for mobility-impaired guests or VIPs.
In-season fees will be $1 lower for children six to 13 years old. Kids younger than six can ride the ferry for free.
The DRBA said passenger fares won't increase this year and that they haven't been increased since 2009. The changes don't affect offseason rates, return trips, or fares purchased for the second leg of a round trip when a ticket is bought for the first leg.
The ferry handled 746,430 passengers and 276,436 vehicles in 2023. More than 10,000 passengers traveled with bicycles.
According to the DRBA, 2023 was the ferry's busiest year since 2010.
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