The East River Ferry - 30 minutes from Wall St to 34th St http://www.nywaterway.com/ Though Others Failed, New East River Ferries Are a Hit - The New York Times. After several failed attempts at encouraging the use of boats to commute across the East River, city officials have an unforeseen problem: too many ferry riders. The ferry service that the city started in June has attracted twice as many riders as its planners had expected. On sunny weekends, it has been so popular with tourists and wandering residents that some boats have been too full to take on everybody waiting on the piers in Brooklyn. Now, with service scheduled to be reduced for the winter on Nov. 1, the operator of the ferries, BillyBey Ferry Company, is worried about having to turn away more customers. But city officials do not want to pay the operator more than the $3.1 million annual subsidy called for in a three-year contract signed this year.  “The only major complaint I’ve heard is that people want more of it,” said Seth W. Pinsky, the president of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, which oversees the service. Mr. Pinsky said that the city was considering ways to add capacity but that, “in an era of limited resources,” it would be difficult to find more public money for the service. The East River service is an experiment to spur development in revitalized sections of the industrial riverfront in Queens and Brooklyn. The boats connect Midtown and the financial district near Wall Street with, for the fall and winter, five spots on the east side of the river.

The East River Ferry - 30 minutes from Wall St to 34th St

http://www.nywaterway.com/

Though Others Failed, New East River Ferries Are a Hit - The New York Times.

After several failed attempts at encouraging the use of boats to commute across the East River, city officials have an unforeseen problem: too many ferry riders.

The ferry service that the city started in June has attracted twice as many riders as its planners had expected. On sunny weekends, it has been so popular with tourists and wandering residents that some boats have been too full to take on everybody waiting on the piers in Brooklyn.

Now, with service scheduled to be reduced for the winter on Nov. 1, the operator of the ferries, BillyBey Ferry Company, is worried about having to turn away more customers. But city officials do not want to pay the operator more than the $3.1 million annual subsidy called for in a three-year contract signed this year.

 “The only major complaint I’ve heard is that people want more of it,” said Seth W. Pinsky, the president of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, which oversees the service.

Mr. Pinsky said that the city was considering ways to add capacity but that, “in an era of limited resources,” it would be difficult to find more public money for the service.

The East River service is an experiment to spur development in revitalized sections of the industrial riverfront in Queens and Brooklyn. The boats connect Midtown and the financial district near Wall Street with, for the fall and winter, five spots on the east side of the river.