Since 2000, the Secretary of Transportation has been
directed to collect data on ferry transportation in the U.S. and its
possessions. The National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO) was established to
track data on existing ferry operations including the location and routes
served, and the source of funds derived from federal, state, or local
governments supporting ferry construction or operations.
Kenneth Steve, a survey statistician for the DOT’s Bureau of
Transportation Statistics, the agency responsible for conducting the NCFO,
spoke at the recent Passenger Vessel Association’s Annual Convention at
Maritrans in Jacksonville, Fla.
“As we gear up for the 2013 census we are seeking to
increase awareness of the census among ferry operators and inform them of the
changes to the new census form and the benefits of providing accurate
information,” said Steve. The recently enacted MAP-21 legislation (Public Law
112-141, section 1121(b)), requires the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
to use NCFO data to set the specific formula for allocating federal ferry funds
($67 million in 2013 and 2014).
The funding allocations are based on a percentage of the
number of passengers, vehicles and route miles served. “It is critical
that ferry operators submit accurate information for the NCFO so that FHWA has
the most accurate data for funding allocations, as defined by law,” said
Steve. “Providing accurate information helps ferry operators become
eligible to receive federal funding for maintaining their infrastructure. The
government benefits by, first, being fully aware of the nature and state of
ferry operations across the U.S., and, second, by having the data necessary to
effectively allocate tax dollars toward the upkeep and modernization of those
systems.”
The
Bureau of Transportation Statistics has made some changes recently to the
census. “We added questions to comply with the MAP-21 legislation requirement
that the NCFO database be consistent with the national transit database
maintained by the Federal Transit Administration,” said Steve. “The items added
for this purpose focused on operations and vessel characteristics.”