PSTA will buy or build two new boats for the Tampa Bay Ferry

White boat on water

The Pinellas County Transit Authority (PSTA) is eager to float its plans for a new ferry between Tampa and St. Petersburg.

The new service, now called Tampa Bay Ferry, will be more affordable to run and ride, with better service once it launches next year, PSTA Chief Planning and Community Affairs Officer Darden Rice told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) transferred its nearly $5 million grant to PSTA in June to replace the defunct Cross Bay Ferry, which stopped operating in April after Hillsborough County voted to terminate its service after issues with its vendor.

Now, four months since the PSTA took the reins, the agency has selected Hubbard’s Marina—a family business running out of Madeira Beach since 1928—to take over operations and recommended two permanent docks in Downtown St. Petersburg and Tampa.

“This is a whole new day for waterborne transit in Tampa Bay,” Rice said.

PSTA was initially set to present the five-year interlocal agreement to both city councils in October, with the PSTA board’s final vote scheduled for Wednesday.

According to Rice, the cities needed “a little bit more time just to wrap up a couple of agreements,” pushing both city councils’ vote to Nov. 6, the PSTA finance Committee’s vote to Nov. 19, and the final vote on Dec. 3.

She’s confident that both city councils will be supportive.

“We’ve already met and talked to many of the city council members and staff, and we’re prepared to answer all questions,” she said.

St. Petersburg Councilman Richie Floyd told CL in an email statement that it’s been a long process so far, but he is grateful to one day provide a ferry service to residents.

“I hope that we will be able to move the dock to a more accessible location in St Pete as soon as possible, and that the more frequent service will broaden the appeal of the ferry,” he said.

Rice ideally wants to have a boat in the water by spring break, but because PSTA plans to acquire two boats and is working with federal money—which comes with its own regulations—realistically, it may take longer.

“There’s all kinds of things that go into the right kind of specs for a passenger ferry vessel. So, you know, that’s going to take up to several months,” Rice said, noting that PSTA is also considering having the vessels built.

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PSTA will buy or build two new boats for the Tampa Bay Ferry

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