'Getting to work late.' Ferry riders voice frustrations as county pressures NY Waterway
County officials agreed in September to replace Seastreak with NY Waterway for ferry service from Belford Marina.
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Monmouth County officials are giving NY Waterway 30 days to improve ferry service out of Belford or risk losing its contract after growing complaints from commuters.
County Commissioner Director Thomas Arnone says the deadline begins Nov. 1 and requires NY Waterway to meet its contractual obligations, including on-time performance and safety standards.
The pressure comes after a petition signed by 500 commuters was presented to county officials demanding improvements and urging a return to Seastreak, which operated the route before NY Waterway took over in September.
Many riders say reliability remains their biggest concern.
"Just getting to the city, getting to work late. So that's one of the biggest things, is just not getting into the city on time when we have work we have to go to," said commuter Justin Smith of Middletown.
Safety concerns have also been raised following an incident earlier this month in which a NY Waterway ferry struck a pier while departing Belford, shattering glass on the lower level of the vessel. Passengers were forced to move upstairs as the ferry continued to Manhattan. The Coast Guard is investigating.
NY Waterway says it is working with county leaders to address rider concerns. Beginning Nov. 2, the company plans to move its 6:30 a.m. departure to 6:20 a.m. and add a new 6:15 p.m. weekday departure from Pier 79.
