The NYC Ferry system hit a new yearly ridership record last week, which city officials say is a sign the highly subsidized service is a worthwhile investment for taxpayers.
The ferries have carried nearly 6.9 million rides so far in 2024 — more than any other calendar year since the service launched in 2017, according to the city Economic Development Corporation, which oversees the service.
“NYC Ferry can be a great way to help save you time,” said NYC Ferry deputy director Franny Civitano. “We see that with riders in the Bronx and Rockaway and St. George, some of those people are saving 20 to 30 minutes each way on their commute.”
Still, the system’s ridership pales in comparison to the city’s other forms of mass transit. The nearly 7 million rides on the ferries so far this year is less than 1% of the ridership on the subways, which clocked more than 1 billion rides over the same period.
The relatively low ridership on the ferries has drawn criticism since former Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the system seven years ago. NYC Ferry riders pay a $4.50 fare to use the service — but city taxpayers on average cover about $9 per ride to pay for the system’s operating costs, according to the EDC. By comparison, the per-ride subsidy for the subways is less than $2, MTA records show.
The high subsidies were highlighted in a 2022 report published by city Comptroller Brad Lander that found the EDC for years underreported how much taxpayer money was used to run the service.
The same year, Mayor Eric Adams announced a plan to raise the base fare for NYC Ferry from its previous price of $2.75 — which would lower the subsidy — while also adding new discounts for low-income New Yorkers.
Civitano said the system needs high subsidies to avoid raising the fare further, and also noted that attracting more riders would help bring in more money to make NYC Ferry more self-sustaining.
“NYC Ferry’s subsidy has come down 30% since its peak in fiscal year 20, when there was a subsidy of over $13,” Civitano said. “As we continue to break ridership numbers, even with a fare change in that time, it’s really proof that New Yorkers see a value in NYC Ferry.”