Planned Golden Gate Ferry Fee Hikes May Be Scaled Back

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Fares for Golden Gate Ferry frequent riders using a fare-discount Clipper Card might not increase as much as proposed, a Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District spokeswoman said Thursday morning.

The district originally proposed increasing frequent-rider discount fares by up to 31.8 percent, but under a revised proposal, the discount fares for frequent riders using the Clipper Card on the Sausalito and Larkspur ferries will only increase 10 percent, district spokeswoman Marry Currie said.

The district's board of directors must approve the revision. 

Currie said the proposed change is in response to more than 400 emails and letters.

The district had proposed raising the Sausalito ferry discount fare by 31.8 percent and the Larkspur ferry discount fare by 12.6 percent on Jan. 1, 2011, for frequent riders using a Clipper Card.

Larkspur discount riders now pay $5.15 for a one-way trip to San Francisco while Sausalito riders pay $4.40.

Under the original fare-increase proposal, riders on both ferries would have paid $5.80 one way. Under the revised proposal, Larkspur riders would pay $5.66, and Sausalito riders would pay $4.84.

Cash-paying adults now pay $8.50 for a one-way trip. Those fares are not being changed.

The district's Transportation Committee will discuss and possibly approve the revised fare increases on Nov. 18, and the full board of directors will act on them Nov. 19.

"There could be more changes. Right now the increase is 10 percent on both," Currie said.

Information about the revised ferry fare increases will be available on the district's website next week, Currie said.

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