The Washington State Transportation Commission will survey ferry riders this month to get their opinions on fares, congestion pricing, schedules, transit connections and other ferry issues.

Officials said the surveys will influence critical decisions at the state level that will impact ferry riders in the coming years.

The surveying effort started April 8 and will continue through April 30.

Riders who have already joined the Ferry Rider’s Opinion Group, or FROG, panel get an e-mail encouraging them to go to the FROG Web site to complete the survey.

Riders who are not members of the panel but want to join, can do so by going directly to the survey Web site at: http://www.ferryridersopiniongroup.com/public.

Those who do not want to join the FROG panel, but would still like to take the survey, can go to http://www.ferryridersopiniongroup.com/april.

A shortened version of the survey will also be handed out to riders during selected ferry sailings during April. Riders can get a copy of the survey by contacting the transportation commission at 360-705-7070 or by e-mail transc@wsdot.wa.gov.