Traffic & Transit
Staten Island Ferry Sees Increase In Rush Hour Ridership
Overall ridership remains near one-third of its usual level during non-peak hours.
NEW YORK CITY — The number of passengers taking the Staten Island Ferry is still well below pre-pandemic levels, but a recent dataset on peak hour passengers could hint toward a return to normal for commuters.
Staten Island Borough President Jimmy Oddo on Monday said in August, ridership was down by some two-thirds compared to the same departures times in 2019. But during certain rush hour trips, ridership is on the rise.
Data shows a decrease of 60 to 70 percent, generally, for most ferry routes compared to 2019, but peak times in the afternoons are down by only 40 to 50 percent, according to NYC Department of Transportation data.
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The data ranges from Aug. 17 to Aug. 20 and shows that ridership on only one departure exceeds that from last August: trips taken at midnight.
Last week, more people traveled by ferry at midnight than they did on the same days last year, at least during the period reflected in the data. In the four-day span, midnight ridership ranged from a decrease of only 21 percent to an increase of 24 percent.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Staten Island Ferry ridership overall remains at roughly 1/3 of normal capacity, although certain rush hour trips consistently see ridership that is closer to usual usage. Data as per @NYC_DOT. pic.twitter.com/GHox69pZY3
— Jimmy Oddo (@HeyNowJO) August 24, 2020
In early July, the Staten Island Ferry resumed rush hour service with departures leaving every 15 minutes from St. George between 7 and 9 a.m. and from Whitehall between 5 and 7 p.m.
“We got to keep the ferry safe. We’ve got to allow for social distancing,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said at the time. “So, we’re bringing back more rush hour service.”
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