New Ferry Service Could Double Trips Between Tampa and St. Pete

We may see the return of the Cross Bay Ferry soon! A $4.86 million federal grant will let PSTA buy two swift vessels for daily water trips between Tampa and St. Petersburg. The move could cut running costs by half.

Weekend service would see boats leaving every hour or two: a big jump from the old schedule with its long wait times. The cost per hour would drop to $250 from $615, while yearly service time would hit 5,482 hours.

"Even with one (ferry), just going to year-round service is going to be progress," said St. Petersburg City Councilmember Gina Driscoll to St. Pete Catalyst. "Getting two is like the next level. That's the game-changer for us."

The plan needs a thumbs-up from Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority on June 2. The switch comes after HMS Ferries stopped running the Cross Bay Ferry on May 1.

Brad Miller, who runs PSTA, said state money will save $1.2 million. The two cities would each pay $285,000 per year for better service: less than half their old bill.

Plans show a fixed dock going up near the history museum in St. Pete. Two spots for boats would take over where the short-term dock sits at Vinoy Yacht Basin.

"Our buses can't cross water, but ferries can, without new roads or wider bridges," said Darden Rice, who plans transit projects. Studies show most bay traffic isn't from work trips.

HMS Ferries sparked these changes in March by switching to slower boats. By April, Hillsborough County had cut ties with the Boston group.

While PSTA will own the boats, they'll pick someone else to run them through a bid process. They think boat rentals could bring in $1 million each year to help pay for buses.

The deal makes Tampa and St. Pete stick with five years of funding, not just one. This keeps boat fixes from draining PSTA's money.

Both sides of the bay back the idea. David Allbritton from Clearwater's council thinks it might start more water routes between beach towns.