Riverdale Ferry Coalition

By Candice M. Giove, Riverdale Review

Though the high-speed ferry service operating from Yonkers and Haverstraw to Lower Manhattan offers a far swifter commute than other modes of transportation, the line has not drawn a substantial mass of passengers. It has, however, received large subsidies.

According to reports, ferry service operator New York Water Taxi took in $1.19 million from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation between May and December 2007. With as few as 87 riders per day departing from the Yonkers stop, that means that some pretty penny is spent to carry each of them.

Ari Hoffnung, cochairman of the Riverdale Ferry Coalition, who has pitched a similar project here in Riverdale, said that public money has not been wasted on the commute-by-boat endeavor. Instead, he said, the abysmal ridership numbers and the steep subsidies just "reinforce the urgency of adding a ferry stop in Riverdale."

"I remain confident that together, the communities of Yonkers and Riverdale can attract the number of commuters required to make high-speed ferry service a financially sustainable project," he said.  Continue Reading »