Commuters React: City Studies How Much Revenue It Could Pull If Charging For Staten Island Ferry
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The Staten Island Ferry has been free since 1997, but the city is studying just how much it could make if only tourists had to pay.
For Peter, who has lived on Staten Island all his life, the ferry is the best ride in New York.
"My luxury yacht ride twice a day," he said.
As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, the city is looking into making those who don't live or work on Staten Island pay to ride the ferry.
Commuters React: City Studies How Much Revenue It Could Pull If Charging For S.I. Ferry
Still, Peter says charging a fare only for tourists is "horrible."
The city's independent budget office ran the numbers for Bureau President Jimmy Oddo and found that a $4 fare could bring in as much as $6 million the first year.
Oddo says he isn't pushing the idea though, and commuter Robin is happy about that.
"I mean, if everything is about nickel-and-diming people when they come over here to visit to see what America is supposed to be-- the land of the free-- I guess not. Everything comes with a tollbooth," he said.
The study says development on the Staten Island side, including the much-discussed ferris wheel, could bring a million more passengers to the ferries.
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