As North Carolina legislators consider budget cuts that could result in tolls on four ferries that currently provide free service and double the fares on three other ferries, the N.C. Ferry Division is preparing to deal with those budget cuts if they occur.

The Ferry Division, part of the N.C. Department of Transportation, hired a company to conduct a ridership and toll revenue study, according to Lucy M. Wallace, the Ferry Division’s communications officer. Wallace also elaborated on possible budget cuts and their influence on the division’s budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

A legislative subcommittee was scheduled to meet this week to discuss overall transportation matters, including cuts to the state’s Ferry Division, which could result in the division being forced to charge tolls, according to Rep. Ric Killian, R-Mecklenburg, a subcommittee chairman.

“Basically, the proposal is going to be a reduction of appropriations to the Ferry Division,’’ Killian told The Associated Press. ‘‘It’s probable to expect they’ll have to begin to toll to meet their budget.’’

To recoup more than $10 million in cuts, tolls on four existing free ferries would be $10 each way, with tolls on two ferries increasing from $15 to $30 and tolls on a third ferry increasing from $5 to $10.

“The proposed budget reductions ($2,097,950) identified in the governor’s budget will be implemented by the Ferry Division beginning in the 2011-2012 fiscal year,” Wallace said. “Items to produce those savings include reduced division use of unscheduled overtime, reduced use of division seasonal temporary employees, improved hull maintenance of our vessels to reduce fuel use and reduced vessel rpms to reduce fuel use. The recommended reductions offered in the governor’s budget are separate from the budget reductions being considered by the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.”

Jan Copeland, legislative assistant to Killian, released a statement on the budget cuts being considered by the subcommittee.

“The Appropriations Subcommittee is expected to have budget recommendations by Tuesday of next week. They are continuously meeting; however, no firm decisions have been made yet.”

The overall budget for the Ferry Division’s current fiscal year is $42,885,207. This includes $41,589,218 for ferry operations and $1,295,989 for ferry-related administrative costs.

Wallace also addressed the survey.

“The survey was conducted by Wilbur Smith & Associates, which began March 8. The group was hired by NCDOT to collect data from passengers of Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach, Currituck-Knotts Island and Bayview-Aurora ferry routes. The data collected will be used to compile a comprehensive tolling survey on behalf of NCDOT and the Ferry Division,” according to Wallace. “WSA will be distributing and collecting survey cards from all passengers on select dates at the above mentioned routes, as well as mailing survey cards to holders of commuter passes. WSA plans to complete this survey by the end of April or first of May. Once these survey findings are released, it will be presented to the N.C. Legislature to help them make decisions in regards to the Ferry Division. Nothing has been decided, and while tolling was mentioned in the (Institute for Transportation Research and Education) study conducted by N.C. State, no decision or mandate has been handed down at this time.”

The toll plan would leave the approximately 1,000 residents of Ocracoke, which has no bridges, as the only people who have to pay to get to a major road, state Sen. Clark Jenkins, D-Edgecombe, told The Associated Press.

“The ferry system has always been considered an extension of the highway system,” Wallace told The Associated Press.

The boards of commissioners in Hyde and Dare counties have passed resolutions opposing a toll for the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route. Ocracoke is in Hyde County. Hatteras is in Dare County.

Contributing Editor Mike Voss and The Associated Press contributed to this report.