The North Olympic Peninsula’s two private transportation companies may be steering toward a battle for part or all of the Kingston-Seattle passenger ferry connection.
After the owner of Port Angeles-based Olympic Bus Lines said he already has “exclusive” right to provide service to the foot ferry starting in October in Kingston, Clallam Transit System’s board Monday rejected an offer to subsidize Olympic rival Pennco Transportation to provide a similar service.
Owner Jim Heckman told the transit board that his Olympic Bus Lines is certified with the state Utilities and Transportation Commission for a fixed-base passenger route from Port Angeles to Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport via the Kingston-Edmonds state ferry.
Carlsborg-based Pennco Transportation is licensed with the state transportation commission to provide door-to-door service from the North Olympic Peninsula to Sea-Tac Airport and via Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
“We have a (Utilities and Transportation Commission) permit for Kingston and have for 14 years,” Heckman said Monday after the transit meeting.
Subsidy sought
Heckman was responding to a proposal by the Pennco owner, Port Townsend businessman Kevin Harris, who formally asked the transit board to consider subsidizing his company’s service to make it affordable while he applies for a state inter-city grant program.
The grant, said Harris, would not come through until sometime next year.
A consortium of Seattle carriers under the name Aqua Express will launch weekday foot-ferry service from Kingston to Seattle this fall, the first time the route has been provided.
The Washington State Ferries’ Kingston-Edmonds car-passenger ferry service will be unaffected.
Heckman told Peninsula Daily News on Monday:
“We’re excited about this opportunity. We’ve been watching its progress.”
Harris, however, said he planned to “do whatever it takes” to also provide service to the Kingston-Seattle ferry landing.
“I understand his (Heckman’s) position, but the bottom line is that there is much more need . . . than what’s being done,” Harris said.
Heckman countered: “It’s too bad it’s such a small market. There’s going to be red ink all over the place.”
