NEW CASTLE, DE — The next time you ride The Cape May - Lewes Ferry the fee structure may look a little bit different. Some fares are changing as of April 1st, but not all of them are going up.
In an effort to boost revenue The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) is going to charge more for drive on vehicles but they are actually decreasing the price of passenger fares for kids aged 6-13.
Here is a full list of the changes that will be made following the adoption of Resolution 24-02:
-Increase for in-season vehicle and motorcycle fares by $1 for standard size, (including per trip for discount books) $2 for 26’ to 45’ vehicles and $3 for >46’ vehicles.
-Decrease in passenger fares by $1 for children ages 6 to 13 in-season.
-Increase in shuttle fares of $2.
-Increase in the existing “No Show” fee from $10 to $26 to further incentivize canceling or modifying bookings vs. abandoning them; this allows the Ferry to sell space that would otherwise go unused and helps to predict demand.
-Adds a $2 handling fee for “show-go” vehicle travel.
-Implements of an optional Priority Boarding fee of $5 to allow (subject to capacity limitations) guests the option of priority staging for earlier boarding/disembarkation. (NOTE: This does not affect the current procedure for VIP and/or mobility impaired guests.)
-Enhances the Loyalty Rewards Program so guests are eligible to earn points redeemable for future travel, including a free passenger (or driver) trip for every tenth trip taken.
Under this newly adopted fare structure passenger fees will stay the same. The Delaware River and Bay Authority points out that those have not been increased since 2009. There has also been no change to off-season fares or "Return-Trip" fares.
For more information on travel times, booking, and rates, for The Cape May - Lewes Ferry, you can go to their website.