Page 8: of Marine News Magazine (January 2025)

7 9

By the

Numbers

The BTS Biennial National

Census of Ferry Operators

In mid-2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s choosing not to provide or make information public for

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released the lat- select items, the numbers in this report likely underestimate est results from the biennial National Census of Ferry Op- the true total values. These underestimates would include erators (NCFO) for 2022. Unfortunately, this (potential) vessels, terminals, segments and route-miles counts, and to- treasure trove of data from an important domestic work- tal passengers and vehicles boarding in calendar year 2022.” boat sector provides just a partial snapshot of its breadth While the NCFO’s frame of operators has grown over and scope. That’s because just 139 out of a possible 240 time, an inconsistent responding population means that ferry operators responded. Hence, with only 58% of oper- care must be taken in comparing NCFO statistics from ators deeming the effort worthwhile, readers should inter- one census year to the next. For example, of the respon- pret the data with a jaundiced eye. Why domestic ferry op- dents that completed the 2020 and 2022 NCFOs, 123 erators sometimes (regularly?) fail to weigh in is a mystery. ferry operators responded in both years. However, 43 op-

Over the past ten years, an average of 68% of ferry opera- erators responded to the 2020 NCFO but not to the 2022 tors respond to this survey, but the latest numbers are even NCFO, while 19 operators responded to the 2022 NCFO grimmer, dipping sharply from a high of 81% response but not to the 2020 NCFO. One ferry operator responded rate in the 2018 numbers. All 240 in-service ferry opera- to the NCFO for the