Latest news with #CrossBayFerry
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pinellas County could bring Cross Bay Ferry service back by buying two of their own boats
The Brief Pinellas County leaders are hoping to bring back the Cross Bay Ferry service – with their own boats. Instead of leasing vessels from an outside vendor, officials hope to buy at least one — possibly two — ferries. The executive board is now recommending accepting a nearly $5 million federal grant – money currently sitting with HART – to fund the purchase. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - After the Cross Bay Ferry wrapped up its final voyage last week, some riders were left wondering whether the popular Tampa Bay area commuter service would ever return. Now, Pinellas County leaders are working to do just that, and this time, they want to own the boats. Big picture view The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is charting a new course for the future of the ferry. Instead of leasing vessels from an outside vendor, officials hope to buy at least one — possibly two — ferries outright. Their plan: Purchase the boats, then hire a contractor to operate the service. RELATED: Cross Bay Ferry makes final voyage with future possibilities still afloat "The goal would be to increase ridership and lower subsidies," said PSTA CEO Brad Miller during an executive leadership meeting this week. Dig deeper That meeting marked the first major step in the effort. The executive board is now recommending accepting a nearly $5 million federal grant – money currently sitting with Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) – to fund the purchase. HART still has to vote to transfer the unused grant to Pinellas. If they don't, Miller said, the funds will revert back to the federal government and could end up benefiting another city entirely. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube "If we could take advantage of this federal grant and purchase the boats, that would reduce the costs," Miller explained. What's next Should the grant fall through, PSTA said it would still move forward, but would likely issue a request for a ferry operator who can supply their own boat, similar to the old model. HART's vote is scheduled for June 1. For now, ferry supporters remain hopeful the scenic ride across Tampa Bay isn't gone for good and that a more permanent solution is just on the horizon. The Source The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app:Apple |Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Cross Bay Ferry ends soon. Will it come back?
Hillsborough County terminated its contract with the Cross Bay Ferry last week, pulling the plug on a service that has linked both sides of the bay for nearly a decade. The operator, HMS Ferries, wanted to replace its current boat with a slower vessel that would take two hours to cross from the Tampa Convention Center to the Port of St. Pete. Instead, local governments moved to end the service months early, on April 30. Something new is expected to take its place. The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority has been tasked with finding a new operator for the ferry service. Recruitment will start in the summer, spokesperson Amanda Baird said. The ferry has operated seasonally since 2016. Both major cities in Tampa Bay, plus their two counties, have funneled more than $6 million into the ferry. The operator of the ferry has faced headwinds in recent years. Its then-parent company, The Hornblower Group, filed for bankruptcy last year and sold its ferry division to a new company called Tidal Maritime LLC. Around 72,000 riders used the service last year. But numbers dipped after hurricanes Helene and Milton. Just 27,000 people boarded the boat between October and February, typically peak season, according to figures from Hillsborough County. Now that this iteration of the ferry is dead, what can riders expect in the future? The goal is fall of this year, Baird said. The Pinellas transit agency will start considering proposals this summer. That process will likely take a few months. The operator may then take a bit longer to deliver a boat and crew, Baird said. Local governments may have to decide how much to subsidize the service, as well. John Muller, who oversees the ferry service for Hillsborough County, said higher fares should be on the table, particularly during peak hours. The current service caps fares at $12 each way. More than 80% of riders use the ferry on Fridays and the weekend, Muller said. To him, that's evidence that the service is more 'transportainment' than it is a commuter service that should maintain low fares. Muller is also encouraging Pinellas' transit agency to find a regional operator. The current New England-based vendor requires more overhead costs to shuttle a boat down the Atlantic coast and house its crew in Tampa Bay. Local officials plan for the service to finally become year-round, Baird said. 'Whatever this new ferry service is, we really want it to be something that's designed for the region and our specific needs,' she said. How easy it is for Pinellas to find a regional, cost-efficient operator comes down to a federal grant on the other side of the bay. The Pinellas transit agency wants Hillsborough to transfer a nearly $5 million grant to purchase a ferry boat. Hillsborough doesn't plan on using it. A local boat will cut operating costs. Pinellas transit officials say they'll also have more leeway to increase the ferry's frequency and make other improvements. Some Hillsborough officials are reluctant to transfer the ferry boat grant and uplift a service with relatively low ridership. Josh Wostal, a Hillsborough County Commissioner and member of its transit agency board, told Pinellas transit officials in February that he wants to see approval of the transfer from their board. Now he also wants to see formal support from the Pinellas County Commission. 'I don't want to accidentally put a burden on Pinellas,' he said. 'Until the Pinellas County board has said (yes), I'm a 'no' vote.' The Pinellas transit authority, an independent agency, would purchase and assume some liability for the boat, not the county government, Baird said. Hillsborough's transit board is scheduled to reconsider transferring the grant in early May. Without the grant, Pinellas will have to find a vendor that can supply its own boat, likely raising annual costs for the service.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hillsborough leaders vote to end Cross Bay Ferry service early
The Brief Cross Bay Ferry service is set to end on April 30 after a vote on Wednesday by Hillsborough County commissioners. The company that operates the ferry recently announced plans to switch to a lower vessel, leading to a contract dispute. Officials on both sides of Tampa Bay are weighing potential replacement options. TAMPA, Fla. - Hillsborough County commissioners voted on Wednesday to end Cross Bay Ferry service several months early over a contract dispute. The backstory This was supposed to be the first year the Cross Bay Ferry would offer year-round service, but that plan recently hit a snag. Hillsborough County officials recently learned that HMS Ferries planned to switch to a much slower ferry – one that would take two hours to make each individual trip between Tampa and St. Petersburg. PREVIOUS: Cross Bay Ferry to end early over contract issues Officials in Tampa, Hillsborough County and St. Pete have said they're not onboard with that plan. Hillsborough County gave HMS, which has operated the Cross Bay Ferry since it launched in 2017, until April 3 to find a vessel that meets the contractual requirements, or the contract would be terminated effective April 30. HMS responded to the county's later, saying it's not able to provide a faster ferry and is willing to terminate the agreement early. By the numbers The ferry often sells out on weekends and for special events, and set a record last year with more than 72,000 riders. What's next As for a potential replacement, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority has already been working to determine whether it can purchase and operate a ferry on its own beginning in October. That plan is still in the works. PSTA also hopes Hillsborough County will contribute several million dollars by way of an unused federal grant, but it's not clear whether that will be approved. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kellie Cowan, with additional information from previous FOX 13 News reports. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cross Bay Ferry between Tampa and St. Petersburg to end early
The Cross Bay Ferry's first season of year-round service is 'expected' to end early. HMS Ferries Inc., the vendor that provides ferry service between St. Petersburg and Tampa, has been declared to be in default of its agreement with Hillsborough County. John Muller, the county's facilities management and real estate services director, outlined the situation in an email to HMS on March 25. He wrote that the Boston-based company wanted to replace the current ferry with a slower one that would take almost two hours to complete each one-way trip across Tampa Bay — twice as long as the current transit time. According to the agreement in place since 2021, HMS must provide a high-speed ferry. Muller's letter put HMS on notice and gave the company until April 3 to find another vessel. Evan Mory, St. Petersburg's transportation and parking management director, told City Council members in a memo Tuesday that HMS did not meet that deadline. He wrote that Hillsborough's staff told him that they intend to bring a cancellation recommendation to that County Commission on April 16. 'However, it is assuredly expected that April 30th will be last day of ferry service this Spring,' Mory said. The Cross Bay Ferry is on its forth and final year of service under the current agreement, which was supposed to end on Sept. 30. Mory noted in a March 25 letter to City Council members that the city will save $102,000 with service ending early 'although it would be [preferable] to have service end in September,' he wrote. Pinellas County's transit authority wants to better integrate the Cross Bay Ferry by buying its own ferry, but Hillsborough County is hesitant to turn over a nearly $5 million federal grant to help make that happen. Mory told council members that the city will be working with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and other government partners to identify a new ferry program that could be restarted as early as this fall, depending on the solicitation process and the availability of potential vendors. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pinellas wants to expand the Cross Bay Ferry. The barrier? Hillsborough County
Pinellas County officials have big plans for the Cross Bay Ferry. The service, which in October began motoring passengers year-round between Tampa Convention Center and the Port of St. Petersburg, is currently operated by a private, Boston-based company. It's subsidized by Tampa, St. Petersburg and their respective counties. Pinellas County's transit authority wants to buy its own boat, operate the service locally and expand its hours and frequency. In time, officials hope the ferry can expand from seasonal recreation to a bona fide transit option for commuters. But there's a major potential obstacle in the way of these grand ambitions: Hillsborough County. Since 2022, Hillsborough has been sitting on a nearly $5 million federal grant to buy a new boat. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority doesn't plan to use that money. The grant will expire and return to the federal government within two years, said Scott Drainville, CEO of Hillsborough's transit authority. Pinellas wants to see the grant transferred across the bay. The transaction would cost Hillsborough nothing and would keep dollars in the region. But some Hillsborough County leaders are against the transfer. At a meeting earlier this month, Republican Commissioner Joshua Wostal offered a successful motion to delay a decision. He accused Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority CEO Brad Miller of trying to bypass the will of his own board, which has not held a formal vote on whether it wants to purchase a boat and operate the Cross Bay Ferry. 'That's very disrespectful to the taxpayers of Pinellas County,' Wostal said in an interview. 'That you have a behind-the-scenes bureaucrat trying to transition them into another financial liability.' Commissioner John King, a citizen appointee to Hillsborough's transit authority board, said he thought Pinellas was trying to 'circumvent the federal appropriations process.' He argued the dollars should return to the federal government, and then Pinellas can compete for the funds like other localities. If Hillsborough doesn't send Pinellas the money, it would be yet another blow to regional cooperation — and it would limit a transit option in an area struggling with clogged roads and traffic fatalities. 'If we send this money back to the federal government, we'll probably never get it back,' said Tampa City Council Member Luis Viera, chairperson of the Hillsborough transit authority's board and who supports the transfer. Miller, the Pinellas transit CEO, said a local transfer was possible. U.S. Department of Transportation staff instructed him to get local approval for the transfer first, before requesting final approval from the federal government, he said. The Department of Transportation did not respond to questions about the grant. Hillsborough County officials will discuss the $5 million grant at a March 5 meeting. It's unclear when Hillsborough's transit authority board, composed of county and city of Tampa leaders, will make a final decision on the transfer. It's also not guaranteed that Pinellas officials would agree to expand the ferry service even if the grant were transferred. Kathleen Peters, another Pinellas County commissioner who sits on its transit board, wrote in a text that she'd only support 'true transit.' But Hillsborough officials may take the decision out of their neighbors' hands if they vote down the transfer. 'Regional collaboration and regional unity is something that is talked about in meetings with each other but is rarely ever practiced,' said Pinellas County Commissioner Chris Latvala, who supports the transfer. The history of regionwide transit in Tampa Bay is fraught. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority shut down in 2023. Gov. Ron DeSantis for years vetoed state funds to the organization, and local counties eventually began holding back contributions. Now local transportation leaders are, at the urging of the state Legislature, studying the possibility of merging Hillsborough's, Pinellas' and Pasco's transportation planning organizations. But some elected officials, especially those on the Tampa City Council, have been reluctant to cede more power in transportation planning to the sprawling counties that surround them. Regional transportation planning requires a delicate dance, said Darden Rice, chief planning and community affairs officer at Pinellas' transit authority. All sides have to see a benefit to cooperation. 'It takes some brokering. It's relationship building. It takes time to keep people engaged on the same goals,' she said. At a time when cost-cutting has become central to the Republican governing ethos, the ferry project is seen by some as wasteful. Shelling out $5 million for a service that had 72,000 riders last season is not cost effective, Wostal said, compared to spending on city bus routes that shuttle more than a million riders each year. He's also skeptical about the parent company of the ferry: Hornblower Group, which filed for bankruptcy last year. Local governments asked Pinellas' transit authority to take the lead in negotiating a new, cheaper contract for the ferry later this year, said Rice, project manager for the Cross Bay Ferry. Many of Wostal's complaints could be resolved if Pinellas has a local boat, she said. 'If PSTA has a passenger ferry boat, I think it helps increase competition for some of our local operators to get a leg up,' Rice said. Local operators won't have to supply a boat — just the labor and cash to oversee maintenance and operations, she said. The private contractor would assume liability if the boat is damaged and needs repairs. Finding a local operator will likely reduce how much local governments have to chip in to operate the ferry, Rice said. If Pinellas' transit authority owns the boat, staff estimates that the authority will get about $1 million in annual federal disbursements to make more improvements to the service, including moving the St. Petersburg stop to a temporary dock downtown, increasing frequency and reducing the round-trip fare from $24. Currently, the ferry takes off from each port every three hours on Fridays and Saturdays. It operates less frequently other days and doesn't operate at all most Mondays and Tuesdays. Whether Tampa Bay sees a more dependable, locally operated ferry depends on whether Pinellas' transit officials can convince Hillsborough of their argument: that 'this is a win-win for everybody,' Rice said.
