Ferry Operator Wants to Accept Metrocards

The East River Ferry wants to accept Metrocards. Other non-MTA services already accept Metrocards, so the idea is not that far fetched. But the real innovation would be for the ferry to accept Metrocard transfers – i.e., eliminating the two-fare structure that most commuters using the ferry face (by the way, it’s nice to see Second Avenue Sagas having a change of heart about the ferry). As it stands now, if you want to go from the ferry to an MTA bus or subway, a one-way trip will cost you as much as $6.50. Institute free Metrocard transfers, and the price drops to $4 (the cost of the ferry ride).

But MTA chief Joe Lhota says that’s not going to happen.

One response to “Ferry Operator Wants to Accept Metrocards”

  1. if the ferry company truly loses money on every rider, then, logically, they should want lower ridership to be able to lose less money and/or shut down (these are businesses, not charities, right?)

    otherwise, as a business, they should be seeking to make deals to improve ridership or modify services and move to profitability.

    unless the operator is a philathropist, there must be another incentive for them to be running a business that loses millions a year with no projections for profitability in the future.

    everyone must be getting paid here or we’re not seeing the whole picture