TAMPA, Fla. — Officials from both sides of the Bay are set to discuss the ferry service connecting downtowns Tampa and St. Petersburg on Monday.
Representatives from the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) and the city of Tampa are set to meet in Tampa to discuss the next step for ferry service returning.
What You Need To Know
Representatives from the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) and the City of Tampa meeting in Tampa Monday about ferry service
Formerly known as the Cross Bay Ferry, the name was changed after new owners took over last year
The new Tampa Bay Ferry could be up and running by spring/summer 2026
Formerly known as the Cross Bay Ferry, the name was changed after new owners took over last year.
In November, both the city of St. Pete and the city of Tampa voted on their parts of an agreement that would secure a new cross-bay ferry service, with each city giving its approval. The interlocal agreement included adding up to $350,000 a year in funding for the new ferry.
Under the agreement, PSTA would oversee ferry operations. Pinellas County’s public transit provider is using part of a $4.8 million federal grant to buy at least one boat that would be used for the new ferry service.
The Cross Bay Ferry service was terminated in April after the previous operator, HMS Ferries, wanted to swap out the ferry with a slower boat. That boat would have taken twice as long to cross the bay, which violated their agreement with Hillsborough County.
Hillsborough County commissioners then terminated the agreement with HMS Ferries in mid-April.
Supporters of the new plan say it is set to be much more financially stable than the previous one.
Officials say the new Tampa Bay Ferry could be up and running by spring/summer 2026.