SSA Citizens’ Action Group

The Steamship Authority is the sole provider of ferry services to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, accommodating both passengers and vehicles, including commercial freight trucks. Additionally, the Authority's enabling legislation grants it the authority to govern the transportation of freight by private entities operating in the waters between the Massachusetts mainland and the Islands; this includes oversight of vessels certified by the U.S. Coast Guard that transport over forty passengers in these routes. However, this regulatory framework does not extend to “grandfathered” services that have been operational since before May 1973.

Currently, the Steamship Authority licenses several private ferry operators that offer seasonal and year-round passenger service on various routes, including between New Bedford and Oak Bluffs, New Bedford and Vineyard Haven, Falmouth and Edgartown, Hyannis and Oak Bluffs, Hyannis and Nantucket, Harwichport and Nantucket, Nantucket and Oak Bluffs, as well as seasonal routes connecting New Jersey, New York City, and Oak Bluffs.

The Steamship Authority is headquartered in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and manages year-round parking facilities in Woods Hole, Falmouth, and Hyannis, alongside seasonal off-site parking options in Falmouth, Bourne, and Hyannis. Additionally, the Authority operates a vessel maintenance facility in Fairhaven and has a receiving warehouse in Falmouth. It also leases property in Mashpee for its reservation office.

The Authority caters to a diverse clientele, which includes permanent residents of the Islands who rely on ferry services for essential commerce and transportation to the mainland, a sizable seasonal population and tourists, as well as the communities that act as transit points for travel to the Islands. Each of these groups has unique requirements and perspectives that influence the operations and policies of the Steamship Authority.

Currently, the Authority operates ten vessels, featuring a high-speed passenger-only ferry, and transports passengers, vehicles, and freight. At peak times, it employs around 750 staff members, with a nearly fully unionized workforce consisting of eight bargaining units represented by four distinct unions.

The Steamship Authority's budget is supported through operating revenues of approximately $100 million. Since its inception in 1962, it has only experienced four annual operating deficits and has not required financial support from the taxpayers of the participating communities since 1963.