Wong reports route redesign increased ridership and efficiency

That has meant looking at the system the way riders experience it, where they are trying to go, how long trips take, whether vessels have enough room, and how to ensure each route makes the best use of public dollars.

Last December, we put that work into action with the first system-wide route overhaul since NYC Ferry launched in 2017.

The plan was shaped by feedback from more than 15,000 riders and focused on five practical goals, giving riders more direct access to Midtown and Lower Manhattan,

speeding up commutes, adding capacity during the busiest times, improving operational efficiency, and reducing the subsidy per rider by growing ridership with limited new costs.

Since implementing these changes and following a full summer of ridership, we can see it's working.

Between May 1st and September 15th, trips were up about 6% compared with the prior year.

Ridership at the East 34th Street and Midtown West 39th Street terminals increased by 21%, showing strong demand for Midtown connections.

The East River route, our most popular, saw a 17% increase after we added capacity and shortened travel times.

And roughly 9% of overall ridership now comes from connections that didn't exist under the old network.

That kind of growth is important not only because New Yorkers are using the system, but because it shows how smarter service planning

can improve access while making every public dollar work harder.