THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 17, 1995 TAG: 9506170335
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
A law approved by the General Assembly earlier this week would allow some coastal ferries to sell riders souvenirs of their trips beginning as early as this fall
The new law, effective July 1, lets the Department of Transportation sell passengers souvenirs bearing the ferry division logo - a profile of a ferry with a lighthouse in the background.
The measure will help provide extra income to the state ferry system as promotion and ridership increase, said Jerry Gaskill, director of the state ferry division.
Sponsored by Sen. James D. Speed, a Franklin County Democrat and chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, the bill was signed into law by House Speaker Harold J. Brubaker and Lt. Gov. Dennis A. Wicker on Monday.
Gaskill said recently that souvenirs such as T-shirts, mugs and baseball caps could be on sale at some ferry sites within three to four months.
Several state agencies, including the zoo, aquariums and museums, sell souvenirs to travelers to augment their budgets, Gaskill said.
``I think it's a good idea,'' he said. ``We're not trying to compete with private enterprise, but we are trying to reach impulse buyers.
``I don't know why it has not been considered before. We had 2,125,777 riders last year, and they're a captive audience on the vessel.
``Of course,'' Gaskill added, ``all the sites don't lend themselves to souvenir sales.''
Gaskill has said the division would probably phase in souvenir sales - possibly beginning with longer routes like the Swan Quarter to Ocracoke and Cedar Island to Ocracoke ferry routes, and sites where waiting lines tend to be long - over the next few years.
Selling souvenirs is just one proposal discussed by lawmakers and the North Carolina Board of Transportaion in recent months to raise money for the state's popular ferry system.
The Transportation Board's subcommittee on ferries had earlier considered and subsequently tabled a proposal to increase and expand ferry tolls to cover the costs of increased ridership.
A provision in the House version of the state's budget for existing programs calls for a legislative study of increasing and expanding tolls. by CNB