RIDOT: Seasonal ferry service was a success

PETER ALVITI JR., director of the R.I. Department of Transportation, said that the seasonal ferry service between Providence and Newport eased traffic and parking woes in Newport, and lessened congestion on the roads between the two cities. / COURTESY GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
PETER ALVITI JR., director of the R.I. Department of Transportation, said that the seasonal ferry service between Providence and Newport eased traffic and parking woes in Newport, and lessened congestion on the roads between the two cities. / COURTESY GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

(Updated 3:10 p.m.)
PROVIDENCE – The seasonal ferry service between Providence and Newport proved to be a success, the R.I. Department of Transportation said Friday.
According to information from RIDOT, a total of 33,221 passenger trips were taken on the Ocean State ferry, from its inaugural launch on July 1 through its final run on Labor Day weekend.

Ridership numbers were 17 percent higher than original projections even with the recent ferry cancelations due to Tropical Storm Hermine, RIDOT said.

“Our seasonal ferry service was created to offer residents and visitors alike the opportunity to travel between Providence and Newport via the jewel of Narragansett Bay,” RIDOT Director Peter Alviti Jr. said in a statement. “Thanks to this service, we were also able to help ease traffic and parking woes in Newport, and lessen congestion on the roads between these two cities.”
The state agency will evaluate the performance of the ferry service. A spokesman said the agency has not made a decision regarding service for next year, but favors bringing it back.

Operating costs were 100 percent federally funded, using $500,000 of transit funds that can be used only on these types of projects. RIDOT is considering a longer operating season for next year, schedule adjustments to meet demand levels experienced this year, and other possible ports of call on Narragansett Bay.

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The Providence to Newport ferry vessel carries a maximum of 149 passengers and provided three round-trip excursions weekdays (Monday to Thursday), and four scheduled trips each Friday through Sunday. Approximately 64 percent of passengers traveled on full fare ($10 each way) tickets, with 36 percent taking advantage of the discount ($5 each way) tickets offered to children, seniors and those with disabilities. The service had 83 sell-out trips throughout the course of the season, representing 19 percent of all 444 total trips.
Saturdays were the busiest days for the ferry, with Saturday, July 23 the peak day with 762 total passengers.
The 10 a.m. ferry departing Providence for Newport, and the 6:15 p.m. trip from Newport to Providence were the most popular, according to RIDOT.

An early analysis of ticket sales showed that 70 percent of those who took the ferry were from Rhode Island, while approximately 30 percent were from out of state.
Departures were from the former Shooter’s site adjacent to India Point Park.
While RIDOT had an overflow parking lot available in addition to the main lot with free, secure parking for up to 200 cars, the agency said it was rarely used. Many passengers used the free RIPTA shuttle service to the ferry from Providence Station, the R.I. Convention Center and Kennedy Plaza, RIDOT said.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Making announcements on the over-highway message boards was a good strategy for increasing awareness. I was glad to see this idea “in lights” along RI roadways and I’m sure it piqued the interest of visitors, too.