The Steamship Authority has announced the opening of vehicle bookings for travel May 14 through Oct. 22, beginning Tuesday morning with head start reservations for Island motorists enrolled in the boat line’s excursion and preferred programs.

Only non-transferable head start reservations will be accepted from 8 a.m. Jan. 13 until 8 a.m. Jan. 20.

From Jan. 20 through Jan. 26, head start members also will be able to make up to five bookings in the names of different drivers, with three of the five remaining eligible for transfer to others. 

The head start program allows 10 advance reservations in all, either one-way or round-trip, made online or by mail.

General reservations on the Martha’s Vineyard route begin Feb. 3 online, with telephone reservations opening Feb. 10 for the summer season and June 17 for the fall schedule that begins Oct. 23.

Reservations are required for all vehicles on the Vineyard route. Construction at the Woods Hole terminal led the Steamship Authority to suspend most standby travel last year, although boat line officials now are exploring the possibility of a standby line at the Palmer avenue parking lot in Falmouth.

Opening days in the past have been plagued with technical issues. The Steamship Authority said in a statement that its IT department and external vendors have been conducting load tests in preparation for this year. The ferry line will also have extra technical support on site and the reservation office will be able to help customers.