Who This Hurts

These are commuter ferries. That means the people who use them commute to jobs, to school, to doctors appointments. More than 9 in 10 of the passengers need the Neuse River ferry from Minnesott to Cherry Branch and the Pamlico River ferry from Aurora to Bayview for their everyday life.

Workers At Cherry Point and Potash Corp
A big employer for many Pamlico County residents is the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station in Craven County on the other side of the Neuse River. Meanwhile, the Potash Corp phosphate plant has many employees who rely on the Bayview-Aurora ferry to take them to work from their homes on the other side of the Pamlico River. These workers will be having to pay the toll just to get to their jobs.

School Students
Imagine getting on your school bus to go to classes or if your high school team has a track meet or football or baseball game. At the DOT hearing in February 2012, 15-year old Nicole Edwards asked if the school buses would be exempt from paying the toll. She was told that not only would the buses be subject to the toll — between $8 and $12 each way — but each student and teacher or coach on board would also have to pay a dollar. (DOT says the passenger fee would not apply to those 12 and under.)

Community College Students
Students from Pamlico County attending classes at the Community College in Havelock and Beaufort County students going to classes at Pamlico Community College would also be paying a toll.

Veterans
Pamlico County is home to many military retirees and the closest VA facility is across the Neuse River in Morehead City. Some have to go to doctors appointments here several times a week. Some go to the base at Cherry Point on a regular basis. They too, would be paying the toll.