Tampa-St. Petersburg Cross-Bay Ferry Finishes Record-Breaking Season

TAMPA, FL — The Cross-Bay Ferry announced the completion of its most successful season since the service began, with a record-breaking 62,130 riders, which is 10,000 more than its prior record.

It also updated plans for a regional ferry service, including accelerating the permanent service for the 2024-25 season.

The record-setting 2021-2022 season and new permanent service plans mark a new chapter in the ferry’s progression in becoming a long-term local transportation resource designed to relieve roadway congestion, boost commerce to local businesses, and provide a fast, fun and affordable way to travel.

In the weeks before the 2022 season’s end, the Cross-Bay Ferry capped a banner year by breaking its single-season ridership record of 52,528 riders, which was set during the pre-pandemic 2019-20 season. This season also saw ridership grow by more than 60 percent over last season.

“After weathering a COVID slowdown that affected transportation networks worldwide, the Cross-Bay Ferry has returned to and exceeded its pre-pandemic form,” said Matt Miller, president of HMS Ferries, the operator of the Cross-Bay Ferry. “This season’s ridership validates the ferry’s steady growth to become a consistent, reliable option for travel to the most popular restaurants, museums, events and shopping destinations in St. Petersburg and Tampa.”

The ferry’s increasing season-by-season growth, spanning from its first season in 2016 to this season, has shown how it has steadily become a transit choice for Tampa Bay residents and visitors, Miller said.

See related stories:

• Cross Bay Ferry Back With Extended Season And Extended Hours
• Cross-Bay Ferry Service Extended For At Least 4 More Years

In addition to its ridership record, the ferry had another highlight this season when, in February, the Federal Transit Administration awarded the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority a $4.9 million grant to buy a new 350-passenger vessel that HART requested last October.

Currently, the Cross-Bay Ferry operates leased boats with a 149-passenger capacity.

Building on this, HMS Ferries and its development partner, South Swell Development Group, have accelerated their work with Hillsborough County in the development plans of a permanent ferry service.

Under the plans, a new regional ferry terminal will be built in South Hillsborough County on land donated by the Mosaic Co., and four new ferries will be constructed that are being designed to operate in the shallow waters of Tampa Bay.

The 350-passenger ferry funded by the federal grant will be part of this fleet.

Permanent ferry service will include weekday commuter service between MacDill Air Force Base and South Hillsborough County and weeknight and weekend regional intercity service between Tampa, St. Petersburg and South Hillsborough County.

“With our increasing season-by-season ridership and recent grant for the purchase of a new vessel, we’re positioned to begin an exciting new era of permanent ferry service in Tampa Bay,” said Miller. “The new 350-passenger boat will double the capacity of our current boat and provide a stronger foundation for the development of regional ferry service across Tampa Bay. The grant was made possible by the strong regional support it received, including that of the entire Tampa Bay area congressional delegation and leadership of Congresswoman Castor."

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, announced in February that the U.S. Department of Transportation was awarding a grant totaling $4,863,280 to the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority for the passenger ferry service.

“This grant will allow (the transit authority) to significantly reduce operational costs while expanding the Cross-Bay Ferry service, helping to grow intercity and commuter ferry service,” Castor said. “It will grow a popular transit option between Tampa and St. Pete, reduce congestion, create local jobs, support small businesses and increase connectivity in the Tampa Bay region.”

Miller said the grant will allow the service to increase regional ferry capacity by nearly tenfold over the current seasonal service.

"This will further establish the ferry as a mainstay transit option to reduce congestion, create local jobs, support small businesses, and increase connectivity across the Tampa Bay area," he said.

The HMS Ferries and South Swell Development's permanent regional intercity service could begin between Tampa and St. Petersburg in the 2024-25 season, while commuter service to MacDill Air Force Base could start in the fall of 2025.

“This season’s record-breaking ridership validates how Tampa Bay residents and visitors alike are embracing ferry transportation as a convenient, cost-efficient transit choice,” said Hillsborough County Commission chairwoman Kimberly Overman. “It continues to provide a congestion-proof transit option for residents to get to restaurants, museums, events and shopping destinations. At the same time, it is laying the foundation for permanent ferry service between Tampa and St. Petersburg.”

HMS Ferries is now working with Hillsborough County on accelerating the project, subject to project approvals and continued project funding.

Continued project funding for the Cross-Bay Ferry could hit a snag, however.

During a work session Thursday, the Pinellas County Commission discussed terminating its contract with the Cross-Bay Ferry less than a year after signing a four-year interlocal agreement with Hillsborough County, Tampa and St. Petersburg for the ferry service.

Pinellas commissioners are concerned about providing continued subsidies to the ferry service when ridership indicates it is able to make a profit without government subsidies.

“The idea of a subsidy was to get them up and running,” said Pinellas County Administrator Barry Burton. “Now they’re up and running – they’re having their best season ever.”

Burton noted that the ferry service is scheduled to begin operating year-round in 2025. Between the subsidies and the price of tickets ($10 to $20 for a round trip), Burton said HMS Ferries stands to turn a substantial profit.

Pinellas Commissioner Janet Long is also concerned that there's been no continued discussion of making the ferries more environmentally friendly by electrifying the boats, something the county requested HMS Ferries pursue.

“I keep hearing, ‘We’re not there yet, the technology isn’t there,’ but I’ve read other articles that state that the technology is there," Long said.

If Pinellas County chooses to modify the interlocal agreement, it must state its intent by June 1.

The ferry’s 2021-22 season service ended on May 1.

The ferry’s 2022-23 season is expected to begin in October and run through the end of May. Ongoing, regular rider surveys from throughout the season continue to highlight the ferry’s success as an economic driver for Tampa Bay.

Miller said data reveals that more than 90 percent of riders patronize restaurants, shops, museums and sporting events in Tampa and St. Petersburg, with almost 70 percent of respondents indicating they spend more than $40 at their destination city.

During the season, the ferry offers four trips daily between Tampa and St. Petersburg on Wednesdays and Thursdays, eight trips daily on Fridays and Saturdays, and six trips daily on Sundays.

In Tampa, the ferry departs from the dock at the Tampa Convention Center and in St. Petersburg from the dock at North Straub Park, near the Vinoy Basin.

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