New York Water Taxi

Not to be confused with NY Waterway, another ferry and water taxi service in New York City.
New York Water Taxi
Locale New York City
Waterway East River, Hudson River, Upper New York Bay
Transit type Water taxi
Owner Circleline 42
Began operation September 25, 2002[1]
No. of lines 13
No. of vessels 12
No. of terminals 11
Daily ridership Approximately 1,370
Website nywatertaxi.com

New York Water Taxi (NYWT) is a water taxi service based in New York City, offering sightseeing, charter and commuter services mainly to points along the East River and Hudson River. It is one of several private operators of ferries, sightseeing boats, and water taxis in the Port of New York and New Jersey.

NYWT is an affiliate company of The Durst Organization Inc. A partnership venture between Douglas Durst and Tom Fox, NYWT has been in existence since 2002, beginning with a fleet of six yellow vessels with black and white checks. Today, the fleet consists of 12 vessels, including two vessels of their sister organization, Circle Line Downtown.

Vessels

The Ed Rogowsky on the East River near Brooklyn Heights
The Gene Flatow on the East River approaching the Brooklyn Bridge

New York Water Taxi operates a fleet of 12 vessels of four classes with most of them being named for what the company refers to as "the unsung hero's [sic] of the New York Harbor".[2] The 67.1-foot (20.5 m) Ed Rogowsky, Gene Flatow, Marian S Heiskell, Sam Holmes, and Seymour B. Durst vessels designed by Incat Crowther of Sydney Australia and built from 2005 to 2008 by the Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding Corporation are capable of carrying up to 149 passengers at a speed of 28 knots. The 53.3-foot (16.2 m) Curt Berger, John Keith, Michael Mann, Mickey Murphy, and Schuyler Meyer Jr. designed by Nigel Gee of Southampton England and vessels built from 2002 to 2003 by Robert E. Derecktor Connecticut Shipyards, LLC are capable of carrying up to 74 passengers at 24 knots.[3]

Services

The New York Water Taxi offers a variety of services, including a day pass that travels around Lower Manhattan and Dumbo, which includes admission to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The company also operates a shuttle service from Pier 11/Wall Street to the IKEA superstore and Fairway Market, both located in Red Hook, Brooklyn; this service is branded as the "Ikea Express Shuttle." Another service, the Statue by Night cruise, travels along the East River and around New York Harbor. Traditional rush-hour commuter service runs between Pier 84 of the Hudson River Park to Brookfield Place.

Seasonal cruises include Fall Foliage, Audubon Winter and Summer EcoCruises, and New Year’s Eve Family Cruises.

When Citywide Ferry Service starts in 2017, the New York Water Taxi is expected to be part of the ferry system. However, the two will remain operationally separate, with the New York Water Taxi cutting 200 jobs as a result of the introduction of Citywide Ferry Service.[4]

References

  1. "New York City Water Taxi Company Takes Off". Associated Press. October 21, 2002. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
  2. "NY Water Taxi in talks with German firm; beaches spin-off". NewYorkology. June 21, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
  3. "Our Boats". New York Water Taxi. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
  4. "New York City's Ferry Service Set to Launch in 2017". NBC New York. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
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