Citywide Ferry Service is on track to launch next year, with the selection of Hornblower, Inc. as its operator. The first citywide ferry system in more than a century will be priced at the cost of a single subway ride and operate from 21 landings across the city.
The service will include routes to and from Rockaway, South Brooklyn and Astoria, Soundview to the Lower East Side and Coney Island to Staten Island.
When fully operational by 2018, CFS will carry out an estimated 4.6 million trips per year across six routes, providing new transportation to communities where housing and jobs are growing fast. The new service will fully integrate the East River Ferry, resulting in lower fares for its 4,000 daily riders.
CFS will generate at least 155 new, well-paying jobs in the harbor. As part of the service, Hornblower will be delivering at least 18 new boats, which will be equipped with Wi-Fi and environmentally friendly engines.
The ferry service will create at least 155 new jobs in the New York Harbor Crew, and workers will earn wages above $15 per hour, along with benefits. Around $55 million is being invested by the city in infrastructure upgrades, including building 10 new ferry landings and rehabilitating six others. The city is also providing $30 million in operating support per year, over a period of six years.
