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Just months after the city announced a far-reaching proposal to expand ferry service and subsidize boat operators until 2010, it looks like the plan has run aground again. Tom Fox, president of New York Water Taxi, told the Times that he has not been able to reach an agreement with the city about continuing a much-needed $900,000 per year subsidy. Without the government cash, which keeps him afloat during the winter when ridership plummets by 50 percent, he says he might be forced to cancel East River ferry service for the third time in four years.
In other bad ferry news, the city also revealed to the Times that its widely-touted plans to expand East River ferry service to the Northside of Williamsburg and Greenpoint will be delayed for at least a year until spring 2011, thanks to the recession. Though the city says it "is working with the City Council on both a short-term and long-term sustainable citywide ferry plan," ferry operators and riders fear that another winter service cancellation will make ferries seem even less reliable, further hurting their chances of becoming a viable commuting alternative.
Sources told the Times that if the water taxis attracted "a broader cross section of passengers" — and not just those who live in condo developments like those near the docks at Schaefer Landing in South Williamsburg and Long Island City — "they would feel more comfortable about putting money into a service."
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I don't quite follow the draw of the ferry service, especially one that seems like it is going to run on top of an existing subway line.
Yes, on top of a subway line that can't handle the volume of riders.
Progress NOT politics
If the ferries were not so expensive, plus not require a second mode of transit to get to them, they would be more feasible.
I never understood why there is no service from Red Hook and Greenpoint at rush hours. Those are no where near subways, and would provide a nice rider base.
But things that make sense often never happen in this city. Like lets build a spur on the 7 line to Javits, but cut out the stop at 42nd and 11th, where new high rises are everywhere and the Intrepid sits... but pay billions so some fat fucks from Ohio can skip a cab and get to the widget convention.
Why skip 42nd St? Those people in the new high rises deserve the services of public transportation as well. They're creating a new neighborhood in what was a desolate wasteland. Incidentally, the Intrepid Museum is at 46th Street and 12th Avenue. The Circle Line at is at 42nd & 12th, both are major tourist attractions and are important to the city's economy.
I don't understand why this is needed.
they get almost a million dollar subsidy and want more?
how are the other ferries surviving?
did they vote for bloomberg?
it's not the same old politics... His royal majesty is getting ready to take on the MTA after 8 years
Transit expansion should be about serving a greater number of people more efficiently. It's much better to provide service to people who have none rather than ease congestion in already overserved areas. We really don't need a Second Ave subway, instead we should be expanding subway service into the regions that are only served by buses.
A ferry, especially one as redundant as this one, doesn't seem to accomplish much except serve a few prime property holders who'll have to take another transit source anyways.
some entrepreneur should start a small boatpool service.
if they want that Working Girl feeling.
Let the river flow.....