All Aboard – New York is Surrounded by Water, Take a Ferry to Work

The other day I had a Clean Air NY Partner meeting on Staten Island and I was considering my transportation options to the outer borough. Among them was renting a car, but since I didn’t have a carpool buddy that was not a smart choice to improve air quality. I used the 511NY transit trip planner and learned that taking the Staten Island Ferry was the best option. It was only a 25-minute ferry ride. What better way to commute to Staten Island than by taking the relaxing, quick, easy and low-carbon-footprint ferry? I boarded, easily found a seat, read my book and the next thing I knew we were docked at St. George Terminal in Staten Island.

Ferries are the forgotten public transportation option. But in New York, where a lot of our land mass is surrounded by water – the Hudson River, East River, Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean – ferries just make so much sense.

Did you know that in the 12-county downstate region that Clean Air NY covers, there are 22 different ferry line options from which commuters can choose? Check out the list to see if any of them work for you and your commute.

All in all, large passenger ferries are a great, environmentally friendly alternative to driving alone in your car, so all aboard!

Written by Jessica Horne, Clean Air NY Outreach and Marketing Associate.