The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad has launched its summer weekend service pilot on the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry and notes a successful beginning with ridership trending up. During the opening weekend in May, the ferry averaged 240 trips a day. In June, that grew to an average of 284 trips daily and in July, ridership reached an average of 455 trips a day on the weekend, with a record of 822 trips set on July 21.
MTA says weekday trips have also been bolstered by a large number of discretionary travelers. During the course of the pilot, the ferry is averaging 344 weekday trips and 320 weekend trips. Weekday usage during the pilot period has been significantly higher than the beginning of the year at 344 and 246 average weekday rides respectively.
Metro-North launched weekend service on the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry for the first time in May in an effort to enhance the reach of Metro-North to Rockland County, N.Y., as an alternative to driving to New York City.
“It’s exciting to see rider enthusiasm for this fantastic new weekend service that gets folks out of their cars and on to the scenic Hudson River,” said Metro-North President Catherine Rinaldi. “The ferry provides access to attractions on both sides of the river and to Metro-North Hudson Line service to historic Grand Central Terminal or other destinations around the region.”
The Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry operates continuously between 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weekends. The ferry has traditionally operated only during weekday rush hours. Metro-North is also offering discounts for monthly tickets on the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry, the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry, the Newburgh-Beacon bus and the Hudson Link. In addition, Rockland County and Orange County residents receive a 25 percent discount on monthly parking at the North White Plains station, which is served by the Harlem Line.
With the new discounts, MTA notes monthly bus and ferry ticket add-ons purchased in conjunction with a monthly rail pass good for an unlimited number of trips for each calendar month have fallen dramatically. The monthly UniTicket fare on the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry was $43.75 and is now $13.75, a 78.9 percent reduction. The monthly UniTicket fare on the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry, previously $14.50, is now $1, a reduction of 93.1 percent. The Newburgh-Beacon Bus monthly UniTicket fare, formerly $10, is now $1, a 90 percent reduction. The Hudson Link Bus monthly UniTicket fare (to either Tarrytown or to White Plains) has been reduced from $60 to $30.
The pilot is expected to run through Veterans Day 2024.
