First of 200 new jobs open to applicants at CitywideFerry.NYC, service begins this summer
Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced hiring for the first of 200 new jobs to be created by the soon to be launched Citywide Ferry Service. All boats will now be docked, fueled and maintained out of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where an additional passenger stop also will be added starting in 2018.
The new jobs include captains and deckhands. Jobseekers can apply through the City Department of Small Business Services’ WorkForce1 Centers, or at CitywideFerry.NYC, or through the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Employment Center. All jobs will pay the City’s Living Wage or higher, and provide comprehensive benefits.
The new service will launch this summer with three new routes to the Rockaways, South Brooklyn and Astoria, connected to the existing East River Ferry route.
“For the price of a subway ride, Citywide Ferry service will connect millions of riders to jobs and homes all along New York City’s waterfront. As we prepare to launch this summer, we are focused on the finishing touches, and hiring captains, deckhands, engineers and maintenance workers who will operate these boats,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
Construction is now underway on the Navy Yard ‘homeport.’ The 56,000 square-foot maintenance and storage facility will include berthing space for 25 boats, supplies and parts, and utilities, including a 40,000-gallon diesel fueling system. It will provide routine maintenance including exterior and interior cleaning, restocking of food and beverage items, fueling and basic repairs. The homeport pier is being elevated to comply with the newest FEMA flood standards. It will be fully outfitted by early 2018, enabling passenger service to an additional stop on the East River route between South Williamsburg and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Mayor de Blasio’s FY2018 capital budget includes funding for an additional boat to provide for service to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which is undergoing its largest expansion in nearly 60 years. More than 7,000 people work at the Yard today, with that number expected to increase to 17,000 by 2020. Tenants at the Brooklyn Navy Yard are covering the majority of costs associated with constructing the new landing.
With 20 vessels operating at 21 landings across New York City, Citywide Ferry will carry an estimated 4.6 million trips per year across six routes – providing a new and easily accessible transit option for traditionally underserved communities and where jobs and housing are growing rapidly. Several of those landings, including the Rockaways, are already being installed and the first of the new vessels being built at shipyards in Louisiana and Alabama are set to arrive in New York Harbor this month.
The Navy Yard will provide free shuttle service for area residents to the new ferry landing from its Cumberland gate, putting the service in reach of thousands of NYCHA residents at Ingersoll, Farragut Houses, and Walt Whitman Houses.
More Details on Citywide Ferry Service
Routes:
- Rockaway, South Brooklyn and Astoria routes are scheduled to launch in 2017.
- Rockaway route will connect to the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Wall Street.
- Astoria route will connect to Astoria, Roosevelt Island (Cornell Tech), Long Island City, East 34th Street and Wall Street.
- South Brooklyn route will connect Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Army Terminal, Red Hook, Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 and Pier 6, and Wall Street, with an optional link to Governors Island.
- Soundview and Lower East Side routes to launch in 2018.
- Routes from Coney Island and Stapleton on Staten Island are in the planning stages for future expansion.
- Combined routes will cover over 60 miles of waterway.
Commuting Times:
- Rockaway to Wall Street (1 stop): Approximately 1 hour
- Astoria to E 34th Street (2 stops): Approximately 22 minutes
- Astoria to Wall Street (3 stops): Approximately 38 minutes
- Soundview to Wall Street (2 stops): Approximately 43 minutes
- Bay Ridge to Wall Street (4 stops): Approximately 48 minutes
Pricing:
- Cost per ride will equal that of a single subway ride.
- Over 4,000 daily East River Ferry customers will see fares reduced from $4 to the cost of a single subway ride.
- Fare will allow for free transfers to any other ferry route within the system, including the East River Ferry.
- Both paper and smartphone ticketing will be available, with payments accepted via cash, credit, or debit card. Discounts will be available for seniors, children and New Yorkers with disabilities.
- Passengers will be allowed to bring bicycles on board for a $1 fee.
The Boats:
· Each boat will be able to carry 150 passengers.
· All boats will be equipped with WiFi.
· Boats will be fully accessible to New Yorkers with disabilities, and will comply with the requirements of both the Americans with Disabilities Act and New York City Local Law 68 of 2005.
· New boats will be equipped with the most modern engine design available to reduce emissions and noise, as well as an efficient hull design that will limit wakes and maximize fuel economy.
City Support:
- The city is investing $55 million in infrastructure upgrades, including building 10 new ferry landings. Barge construction is currently underway at a facility on Staten Island.
- The city is providing $30 million in operating support per year, over a period of six years. Based on a projection of 4.6 million annual trips, the per-trip subsidy for Citywide Ferry Service will be $6.60, lower than the nearly $8 per trip subsidy on the Long Island Railroad or the nearly $15 per trip subsidy for express buses. The city is providing $10 million for additional startup costs, such as vessel upgrades and ticketing machines.
- City negotiated an option to acquire ferry vessels, allowing for greater operational flexibility and providing significant savings to taxpayers over the life of the service (roughly up to $5 million per year).
- City will receive a portion of fare-box revenue if ridership exceeds 5.6 million passengers.
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