Mayport Ferry (Tampa: sale, schools, income)

[JaxBlueMan]

Originally Posted by madcapmagishion

One wonders why if it is the only remaining ferry operating in Florida, why it can't gain historical status, like some old houses in Springfield and be preserved? As a tourist attraction and as a working ferry. Charge maybe $5 for cars and motorcycles, $10 for towed campers and boat trailers and $20 for anything larger. (about 2X what they charge now)

It's already charging $5.00 per car

Pedestrian/Bicycle $1.00
Motorcycle $3.00
2 Axle Vehicle $5.00
Each Additional Axle $1.00/Axle
Passenger Bus $10.00
Coupon Book (20 Crossings) $60.00
Semi-Tractor/Trailer Prohibited

[GadgetRick]

Originally Posted by madcapmagishion

One wonders why if it is the only remaining ferry operating in Florida, why it can't gain historical status, like some old houses in Springfield and be preserved? As a tourist attraction and as a working ferry. Charge maybe $5 for cars and motorcycles, $10 for towed campers and boat trailers and $20 for anything larger. (about 2X what they charge now)

I'm with you.

But they already charge $5 for cars.

I don't even mind paying a little more to continue using it. It saves me a TON of time and fuel over going all the way out/up to the Dames Point Bridge.

[madcapmagishion]

Originally Posted by GadgetRick

I'm with you.

But they already charge $5 for cars.

I don't even mind paying a little more to continue using it. It saves me a TON of time and fuel over going all the way out/up to the Dames Point Bridge.

The last time I used the ferry it was only $2.50 for a car.

Maybe to make it more profitable they should charge,
Pedestrian/Bicycle $3.00
Motorcycle $5.00
2 Axle Vehicle $7.50
Each Additional Axle $2.50/Axle
Passenger Bus $20.00
Coupon Book (20 Crossings) $100.00

These fee's are not going to hurt anyone as they are still cheaper (gas/time wise) than going the extra 20-25 miles or so to the Dames Point and back.

[JaxBlueMan]

Originally Posted by madcapmagishion

The last time I used the ferry it was only $2.50 for a car.

Maybe to make it more profitable they should charge,
Pedestrian/Bicycle $3.00
Motorcycle $5.00
2 Axle Vehicle $7.50
Each Additional Axle $2.50/Axle
Passenger Bus $20.00
Coupon Book (20 Crossings) $100.00

These fee's are not going to hurt anyone as they are still cheaper (gas/time wise) than going the extra 20-25 miles or so to the Dames Point and back.

I live right off the Wonderwood connection, and it actually isn't as fast for me to use the ferry, as it is to take the Dames Point. A little bit more gas to take the bridge, but less time. This is particulary true, now that there is only one ferry going back and forth.

I think this is why ridership has dropped so much in the past few years. People are generally pretty pragmatic. So I think if the ferry really did help save time and money for so many people, the ridership wouldn't have dropped so much. I doubt anyone is going out of their way to take the Dames Point, if it costs more money, and takes more time than the ferry does.

I would think that the people in Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach will be able to save some gas, and possibly some time, depending on how long they need to wait for the one ferry to come back, but now that we have the Dames Point, I doubt the ferry serves any practical purpose for anyone other than the people in those towns.

Still a nice quaint reminder of the past, but not practical for the overwhelming majority of Duval citizens.

I know that it's always sad when we lose another reminder of the 'good old days' but in these tough budgetary times, and with all of the huge cuts we've already made in educational funding, it's kind of a 'no brainer' to let this bottomless pit go. I don't see how a County that's already below average in every possible educational measure, can justify cutting millions in school funding, while at the same time spending millions to save a money losing ferry, that only serves a very small portion of our tax payers.

If it's that important to the citizens of Mayport, AB etc, maybe those towns should levy a tax on their own residents, and help subsidise the cost of the ferry?

[bobsim]

Before the port authority bought, leveled and fenced in the Mayport waterfront the ferry ride from Fort George was a nice way to end a day. Something refreshing about eating dinner at Singletons and looking at the shrimping fleet. Seems the 'quiet little fishing village' atmosphere is gone now. Not just sad, it's plain wrong. This is our history gone. I feel there's more to the equation than bottom line and revenue, there's a responsibility to maintain and preserve some things. It's not always about a damn dollar.

[JBtwinz]

A $12.00 round trip would most likely be the most I could pay, anymore and it would be hard to justify as the round trip with gas from Amelia to NS Mayport for me would be cheaper although I would lose an hour a day.

I am selfish though, we have been riding it since the 80's when I was TDY at Mayport and since we moved. It is always a nice trip with our visitors to head to Singletons with a ride on the ferry. It is also very convenient for me with my job. I would love for It to be subsidized some how by the state or surrounding city's.

Two wrongs do not make a right but if the JTA can continue to bleed red and the Skyway continues to move back and fourth in JaX without charging passengers then why is it so imperative for the ferry to turn a profit? Perhaps Jaxport should not have spent so much money buying property in Mayport only to do a complete 180 on putting a cruise terminal in. Talk about a hard to get to cruise terminal. That would have been a long ride from the airport for those passengers flying in, not to mention the lack of hotels close by.

I will grin and bear it if the ferry dies, but I sure will miss it.

[crazynip]

Originally Posted by madcapmagishion

One wonders why if it is the only remaining ferry operating in Florida, why it can't gain historical status, like some old houses in Springfield and be preserved? As a tourist attraction and as a working ferry. Charge maybe $5 for cars and motorcycles, $10 for towed campers and boat trailers and $20 for anything larger. (about 2X what they charge now)

One should rather ask, why the hell is it still even operating? It's not like it's the only way in and out. There are these things called bridges: USE THEM.

Dont like having to drive a little further? LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

People should have be having to subsidize people's driving situations.

Ferrys became obsolete 60+ years ago, it figures ass backwards Jax is the only one that hung on. Maybe it operates on the noxious gas in the atmosphere or pollution from the st. johns

[JBtwinz]

Originally Posted by crazynip

One should rather ask, why the hell is it still even operating? It's not like it's the only way in and out. There are these things called bridges: USE THEM.

Dont like having to drive a little further? LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

People should have be having to subsidize people's driving situations.

Ferrys became obsolete 60+ years ago, it figures ass backwards Jax is the only one that hung on. Maybe it operates on the noxious gas in the atmosphere or pollution from the st. johns

Where have you been hiding, the Staten Island Ferry handles in excess of 19M people a year and it is FREE. Although after 911 cars were no longer allowed on the ferry's.

The Mayport Ferry is not the only ferry to operate currently in Florida.

[JaxBlueMan]

Originally Posted by JBtwinz

Where have you been hiding, the Staten Island Ferry handles in excess of 19M people a year and it is FREE. Although after 911 cars were no longer allowed on the ferry's.

The Mayport Ferry is not the only ferry to operate currently in Florida.

I'm sure that you realize that the Staten island ferry isn't really free. It's being paid for by taxpayer dollars. And I'm sure that if it's ridership fell to the level of the Mayport ferry, NYC would close it down in a heart beat. Particularly, if NYC had just built a new bridge that connected Manhatten to Staten Island.

[madcapmagishion]

Originally Posted by JBtwinz

Where have you been hiding, the Staten Island Ferry handles in excess of 19M people a year and it is FREE. Although after 911 cars were no longer allowed on the ferry's.

The Mayport Ferry is not the only ferry to operate currently in Florida.

Actually according to Wikipedia it is the last active ferry in Florida.
"The ferry has been operating since 1874 and is the last active ferry in Florida."
Mayport Ferry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia