Car Ferry Discussion

Please email me, Sam Ballard, with your thoughts about my ideas for a car ferry.

Prepared by an interested islander (Sam Ballard < samballard@chebeague.net>) and is not under consideration by CTC. 8/24/11

Construction of hammerhead/bus turnaround completed

Results: Land in all tides at Cousins (with extension) and the Stone Pier. Round trip traffic between the island and the mainland with a single car is now possible.

Purpose of the discussion

Over the winter months, determine if a viable financial model may be developed that would support ferry construction and fabrication of landing sites at Cousins and the Stone Pier. Analysis to date indicates that it may be.

Possible Configuration For Chebeague

South Ferry as an Example

Revenue assumptions:

Fares used for this analysis are half that used for the Peaks to Portland as that distance about twice ours. On that basis, our fares are $18 per round-trip for winter eight months, $31 for the summer.

Gross Revenue; Model Chosen for Analysis

Trips per 8-hour day: 16

Days per month: 30

Cars per ferry: 12

Round trips per year: 16X30X12 = 5760

Gross revenue for car ferry for 2009 would have been: $1,543,680.00

Assume operating expenses: $983,804 (CTC 2009 plus an additional $80,000 for fuel)

Net Revenue

If every trip is used with full load; Net is: $559,876.

If half load used: Net is $279,938

Cost estimates for car ferry

Blount Boat Works estimate: $1,100,000

Conclusions so far:

Net revenue may be sufficient to pay off a single ferry with in two to four years.

Benefits for island residents

Only one car needed for mainland commuting.

Maintaine cars on mainland.

Single vehicle ambulance service.

Bus service to multiple school sites.

Access to mainland service suppliers – fuel oil, building supplies, etc.

Savings for CTC

Eliminate parking lot bus service

Ferry access

Assuming CTC remains private, it is then the company that establishes rules for ferry use.

Residents have access. All others require resident and/or company approval.

How to Proceed – Establish various study groups

Overall funding plan

Ferry design

Queue concepts