Even more Water taxi cuts

And this time with a blatant request for taxpayer money. The e-mail in full (bold emphasis mine):

NEW YORK WATER TAXI TO SUSPEND BROOKLYN ARMY TERMINAL/SOUTH BROOKLYN ROUTE SERVICE

effective 2/1/08

New York Water Taxi (NYWT) regretfully announces the suspension of commuter service from the Brooklyn Army Terminal to lower Manhattan’s Pier 11/Wall Street effective 2/1/08. Suspension of service will affect a few hundred commuters daily.

NYWT took over the service in 2003, on short notice, when it was abandoned by another operator. We have worked tirelessly trying to make the run economically viable, but the service continues to be an economic drain on our Company.

Fuel prices have doubled since the beginning of 2007 and ridership on BAT service has stayed constant. During the winter, ridership decreases even further. We cannot continue to operate this commuter service without public support.

We will continue to work with the city agencies, elected officials such as City Councilmember Gentile and the Sunset Ridge Ferry Coalition in the hope that NYWT we will be able to restore the service by the spring. Proposals for public operating subsidies and new docks that could add riders to this commuter service would help tremendously and NYWT will keep BAT riders informed about the possible resumption of the service via email.

New York Water Taxi believes strongly that waterborne transportation is critically important for Brooklyn neighbors adjacent to our magnificent Harbor and has done its best to bring it about. We apologize for the inconvenience that this service suspension will undoubtedly cause.

NYWT will refund unused one way or ten-trip tickets. Please mail them to the office address below and you will receive a refund check. Wageworks has been notified and will reimburse individual accounts effective February 1, 2008.

New York Water Taxi is thankful for our loyal BAT customers and are saddened by the need to suspend this service.

For more information about New York Water Taxi’s South Brooklyn Route http://www.nywatertaxi.com/commuters/brooklyn-army-terminal/

- posted by Amy @ 1/22/2008 10:09:00 PM