Graphic Version

National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO)

The 2016 National Census of Ferry Operators is Now Underway

If you are a ferry operator, please call us toll-free at (800) 853-1351 or email us at ferry@dot.gov if you have any questions or concerns.

On a biennial basis the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology's (OST-R‘s) Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BT5) conducts a census of all ferry operators operating in the United States and its territories. The information collected item the census is maintained it a national ferry database containing information regarding ferry systems including routes. vessels. passengers and vehicles carried, funding sources and other information. The numerous detailed data elements are previded in a relational database allowing access and analysis at various levels - operator, route segment, termital, or vessel. The NCFO was first conducted in 2000 by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Office of lntermodal and Statewide Planning. By legislative mandate (SAFETEA-LU). BTS assumed the role in 2006 and has subsequently conducted the NCFO in 2006, 2008 and 2010. In 2012, the Maving Ahead tor Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) was enacted and a subsequent data collection was conflicted for calendar year 2014.

Census Coverage

The geographic scope of the database of existing ferry operations includes the United States and its territories, encompassing the 50 States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In addition to ferry operators providing domestic service within the US. and its territories, operators providing services to or from at least one U.S. terminal are also included. Ferry operations that were included within the scope of this census are those providing itinerant hired route, common carrier passenger and/or vehicle terry service. Railroad car float operations are also included within the scope of the survey. Ferry operations that are exclusively nonitinerant, such as excursion services (eg . whale watches, casino boats, day cruises, dinner cruises. etc). passenger only water taxi services not operating on a fixed route. LoLo (Lift-on/Lift-off) freight/auto carrier services. or long distance passenger only cruise ship services are not included within the scope of this census.

NCFO Methodology

NCFO Questionnaire