Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
NYC Ferry system expansion and fleet management
0:44:22
·
3 min
Andrew Kimball discusses potential expansion of the NYC Ferry system and current fleet management strategies. He emphasizes the financial considerations involved in expanding the service and highlights ongoing environmental initiatives.
- No specific plans for immediate expansion of NYC Ferry routes
- Expansion requests are being considered, but financial implications must be carefully evaluated
- No current plans to expand the ferry fleet
- Ongoing initiatives include:
- Converting all ferry engines to use biodiesel
- Exploring the potential for electric ferries in the future
- The current per-passenger subsidy is about $8.50, down from $13.50 three years ago
- Any expansion would likely increase the overall subsidy required for the system
Amanda Farías
0:44:22
ADC recently expanded to the ferry system to include the Saint George route.
0:44:26
Are there any plans to expand the ferries to include more locations in NYC?
Andrew Kimball
0:44:31
Yeah.
0:44:32
It's been a few years since we since we brought on Saint George.
0:44:35
That was before my time, and before the Ferry Forward program, as we've been digging ourselves out of, some of the financial strains that I just mentioned.
0:44:45
We we love it that New Yorkers love NYC Ferry, that the council loves NYC Ferry.
0:44:50
We wanna continue to work with you, on growing NYC Ferry in smart ways.
0:44:56
We have had lots of requests, for expansion, and we look forward to continuing that dialogue over the course of the year.
0:45:04
We do not have specific plans today for expansion.
0:45:08
It is quite expensive anytime you add a route, and so we've got to balance that with what is the enthusiasm for it and the demand for it.
Amanda Farías
0:45:17
Sure.
0:45:18
Outside of adding maybe more landings throughout the routes, do we have we expanded any more to the fleet?
0:45:26
Do we plan to expand any more boats to the fleet?
Andrew Kimball
0:45:30
We don't plan to expand boats to the fleet.
0:45:33
We have a good number of boats today.
0:45:34
The biggest action we're taking with our fleets is converting all the engines, to be able to take biodiesel.
0:45:43
There is a movement now, internationally and and nationally to try incorporate electric ferries into fleets, and we applied for a very significant federal grant.
0:45:54
Unfortunately, we did not get it.
0:45:55
It was at the same time that we were successful at getting a big grant for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, so we got one and didn't get the other.
0:46:01
We will continue to apply for those funds, but that really requires a whole new, ferry.
0:46:09
And, you know, as batteries get bigger, more efficient, and able to really move boats, think they'll be more and more appropriate for New York Harbor where the tidal impacts are pretty intense and so you need to have real power on those engines, but we would like to incorporate those over time.
0:46:26
Certainly, we were to expand stops, there may be a need in the future for acquiring more boats.
Amanda Farías
0:46:33
I do think part of the, you know, the goal for us should also be making sure that we're adding to the fleet over a course of years just to make it a more reliable commuter service.
0:46:43
I think right now sometimes it does feel as if folks can't rely as often on the ferry system if it's every forty five to fifty five minutes to get a vessel to get you to your location.
0:46:57
So I just say that in the interest of folks like my mom who love the ferry but know that if they're just three minutes off, they're going to have to find another way to get to work.
Andrew Kimball
0:47:09
Appreciate that.
Amanda Farías
0:47:10
And then just on the note of you saying it's somewhat, you know, expensive or costly for expansion, have you folks have do you folks have an idea or have you folks looked at what the city subsidy EDC would need to request for operating or capital cost if the ferry system were to expand?
Andrew Kimball
0:47:30
I think that would certainly have to be part of the conversation if, the ferry service was to expand.
0:47:36
We it is subsidized today, just to be clear.
0:47:38
So there's a per passenger subsidy, that is about $8.50 per passenger.
0:47:44
It was about $13.50 when I got to EDC three and a half years ago, so it's come down substantially.
0:47:49
But $8.50 times a lot of riders is a lot of money.
0:47:54
And so there is a subsidy today, just to be clear, like all mass transit.
0:47:58
And if the ferry service was to expand that would go up.