Velázquez Demands Federal Intervention Over Proposed Puerto Rico Ferry Fare Hikes

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Democratic members sent a letter to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) raising concerns regarding a draft regulation prepared by Puerto Rico's Integrated Transportation Authority (PRITA) to drastically increase passenger and freight fares of the Puerto Rico Ferry route between Ceiba and the Island Municipalities of Vieques and Culebra. If approved, the fee would represent increases of 462 and 400 percent, respectively to the only public transportation method that connects Vieques and Culebra to the mainland of Puerto Rico.

"We are concerned that, with this change, PRITA may be violating federal regulations related to the grants and awards it has received from the Federal Transit Administration," wrote the lawmakers. "In addition, we have heard from our constituents that this regulation has not undergone the processes required by local law to provide the public ample opportunity to comment or make recommendations."

The Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority (PRHTA) manages their services through its private operator, HMS Ferries, Inc. The PRHTA, with PRITA as a subrecipient, was awarded $11.9 million in 2024 under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program to acquire a new passenger vessel for the Island Service. This funding is tied to certain objectives and legal requirements that the proposed ferry fares may contradict.

"First, PRHTA proposed to increase passenger flow between Ceiba, Vieques and Culebra by acquiring this vessel," wrote the lawmakers. "However, increasing each ferry trip from $2.25 to $10 would reduce the number of annual passengers from 1,170,153 (ridership in 2015) to 558,580, representing a 52.26 percent reduction. And this may be an underestimate, given the calculation was made over ten years ago, and the proposed fare is not $10, but $11.25 per one-way trip."

The proposed fare hike raises serious equity concerns. It would not be applied uniformly as the residents of Vieques and Culebra would receive steep discounts, while travelers from other municipalities would be forced to pay full price. In the letter, Velázquez notes this kind of disparity risks violating federal protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in programs receiving federal funding.

Velázquez is calling on the FTA to respond by Monday, March 30 - two days before the fare increases are set to take effect on April 1. The letter poses five questions to the agency, including whether it has imposed any obligation requiring PRITA to quadruple fares and whether the increases comply with federal anti-discrimination requirements.

"As both a resident and a merchant, I depend entirely on the ferry service as the sole means of public transportation connecting Vieques to mainland Puerto Rico - what we on the island affectionately call "la Isla Grande," said Nelson Boulogne, Vieques Resident and Business Owner. "This ferry is not simply a convenience; it is the backbone of our quality of life, our economic growth, and our ability to maintain essential ties with family members who reside on the mainland. A fare increase of approximately 400% would be devastating. It would drive up the cost of goods and services across the island, discourage workers and contractors from traveling to Vieques, and further strain the budgets of residents and families who cross regularly. The impacts would be felt not only by those of us who live here, but by every person connected to this island's economy and well-being."

The letter was signed by Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL), Res. Commr. Pablo José Hernández (D-PR), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
The letter was endorsed by Federación de Pescadores Comerciales (FEDPDEMAR), and Colectivo Somos Más Que 100x35.

Find the full letter here.

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