Rising fuel costs spur surcharge for cars on Cape May-Lewes Ferry

Rising fuel costs will be passed along to those who ferry cars between New Jersey and Delaware next month.

Cape May-Lewes Ferry will charge an extra dollar per vehicle trip from June 1 through June 30. The surcharge will operate on a month-to-month basis, fluctuating along with fuel prices.

The director of ferry operations, Heath Gehrke, says the surcharge is tied to the price of fuel, which has increased significantly for the ferry this year. Gehrke says the ferry will continue to absorb a majority of the cost increase. Passengers will not have to pay a separate surcharge.

Ferry officials will assess the price of vessel fuel on the 15th of each month to determine if it will continue for the following calendar month.

“The fuel surcharge will not become a permanent part of fares, but will turn on and off as the price we pay for fuel increases and decreases,” Gehrke said. “If the price of fuel drops to below the benchmark, we will eliminate the fuel surcharge.”

The fuel surcharge is only applied when the price the Delaware River and Bay Authority pays for marine diesel fuel rises faster than the 8-year trend.

The extra dollar will not apply to reservations that have already been made.

The last time a fuel surcharge was implemented on the ferry was March 2014.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.