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Skagit County approves 30% Guemes Island ferry fare increase and paper punch-card conversion
Summary
The Board approved a 30% increase in Guemes Island Ferry fares (effective Jan. 1, 2026) and a process to convert COVID-era non-expiring paper punch cards to electronic trips by appointment. Commissioners asked staff to correct spreadsheet anomalies before full rollout and noted adaptive monitoring of revenue.
The Skagit County Board of Commissioners voted 3–0 on Nov. 10 to amend the county’s ferry fare resolution and adopt a revised 2026 fare schedule for the Guemes Island Ferry. Commissioner Browning moved approval; the motion passed unanimously. The board also approved a resolution to convert COVID-era non-expiring paper punch cards into electronic trips by appointment at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal, with converted cards required to be processed by Dec. 31, 2026.
Rachel Rowe, operations division manager for the Ferry Division, said the 30% fare increase is part of a plan to meet a 65% cost-recovery target by Dec. 2028, consistent with a prior resolution (R20230152). Rowe said fares would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and that all tickets purchased in 2025 will expire Dec. 31, 2025; holders of non-expiring punch cards may convert remaining punches into non-expiring electronic trips by appointment during specified business hours.
Commissioner Wiesen and others identified a spreadsheet anomaly in the proposed fare table: in some oversized-vehicle categories the draft sheet showed lower 2026 peak fares than 2025. Staff acknowledged a calculation error that affected certain length-based lines and said they would correct the spreadsheet and provide clarification next year. Commissioners stressed that adaptive management — including quarterly budget monitoring and possible amendments to the governing resolution — would be used if ridership or revenue changes undermine recovery targets.
On the punch-card conversion, staff said appointments will be available Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal; converted trips will be placed in an electronic account that remains transferable and non-expiring, and owners must redeem or convert paper cards by Dec. 31, 2026. The board directed staff to issue a press release with conversion instructions.
The board also discussed the Guemes Island Ferry capital project and noted the convening of a technical advisory group to evaluate long-term capital needs. Commissioners emphasized the need to balance affordability for island residents with the requirement to fund reliable ferry service.
