Now Hiring: Mayor de Blasio Announces New Ferry Service Adding Jobs in Brooklyn Navy Yard with Homeport and Additional Passenger Landing

March 8, 2017

First of 200 new jobs open to applicants at CitywideFerry.NYC, service begins this summer

NEW YORK—Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced hiring for the first of 200 new jobs to be created by the soon to be launched Citywide Ferry Service. All boats will now be docked, fueled and maintained out of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where an additional passenger stop also will be added starting in 2018.

The new jobs include captains and deckhands. Jobseekers can apply through the City Department of Small Business Services’ WorkForce1 Centers, or at CitywideFerry.NYC, or through the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Employment Center. All jobs will pay the City’s Living Wage or higher, and provide comprehensive benefits.

The new service will launch this summer with three new routes to the Rockaways, South Brooklyn and Astoria, connected to the existing East River Ferry route.

“For the price of a subway ride, Citywide Ferry service will connect millions of riders to jobs and homes all along New York City’s waterfront.  As we prepare to launch this summer, we are focused on the finishing touches, and hiring captains, deckhands, engineers and maintenance workers who will operate these boats,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Construction is now underway on the Navy Yard ‘homeport.’ The 56,000 square-foot maintenance and storage facility will include berthing space for 25 boats, supplies and parts, and utilities, including a 40,000-gallon diesel fueling system. It will provide routine maintenance including exterior and interior cleaning, restocking of food and beverage items, fueling and basic repairs. The homeport pier is being elevated to comply with the newest FEMA flood standards. It will be fully outfitted by early 2018, enabling passenger service to an additional stop on the East River route between South Williamsburg and Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Mayor de Blasio’s FY2018 capital budget includes funding for an additional boat to provide for service to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which is undergoing its largest expansion in nearly 60 years.  More than 7,000 people work at the Yard today, with that number expected to increase to 17,000 by 2020. Tenants at the Brooklyn Navy Yard are covering the majority of costs associated with constructing the new landing.

With 20 vessels operating at 21 landings across New York City, Citywide Ferry will carry an estimated 4.6 million trips per year across six routes – providing a new and easily accessible transit option for traditionally underserved communities and where jobs and housing are growing rapidly.  Several of those landings, including the Rockaways, are already being installed and the first of the new vessels being built at shipyards in Louisiana and Alabama are set to arrive in New York Harbor this month. 

The Navy Yard will provide free shuttle service for area residents to the new ferry landing from its Cumberland gate, putting the service in reach of thousands of NYCHA residents at Ingersoll, Farragut Houses, and Walt Whitman Houses.

“It’s official: Citywide Ferry is now hiring!” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO James Patchett. “With our new homeport at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, we’re ensuring all 200 of these living wage ferry jobs are located here in the five boroughs. And once Citywide Ferry launches this summer, we’ll be connecting New Yorkers to even more good jobs in industries like tech and manufacturing all along the city’s waterfront.”

“As excitement builds for the launch of the new citywide ferry system, I’m proud that we will be connecting over 200 local job seekers with living wage positions to get the system up and running,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “Job seekers can visit our network of Workforce1 Career Centers to learn more about these jobs and many other career opportunities.”
   
“With the Brooklyn Navy Yard adding 10,000 jobs in the next few years, this new ferry stop provides a vital means of access to New Yorkers looking for quality job opportunities,” said David Ehrenberg, President and CEO at Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. “The 200 jobs being generated at the Citywide Ferry homeport here perfectly exemplify the broad spectrum of opportunity being created by the Yard and by its tenants.”

Workforce1 Career Centers will be accepting applicants for captain and deckhand jobs throughout the spring and summer. The first interviews will be March 24 at the downtown Brooklyn Workforce1 Career Center. The next round of hiring will take place in early summer for positions ranging from concessions to deckhands and operations. For a list of all Workforce1 locations, click here. Applicant may also apply through the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Employment Center, here.

“The Citywide Ferry service coming this summer is a much-needed addition to New York City's transportation network,” said Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.  “The Mayor’s announcement today – that the Navy Yard will benefit from hundreds of new jobs and a convenient new pier for commuters – is even better news for Brooklyn. We look forward to working with Citywide Ferry to ensure a seamless transfer from other modes, including making the ferry landings safe and accessible for pedestrians and cyclists.”

"Public transportation is such a vital service for New Yorkers and I am happy to see the Mayor expanding ferry service. Our water ways are a huge resource and there are so many opportunities that can be realized by making greater use of them. I look forward to continuing to support working waterfronts that serve as hubs for industry, innovation and job creation in our city,” said State Senator Velmanette Montgomery.

"More jobs, more ferries, and more local investment make for a trifecta of 'ferry' good news," said State Senator Daniel Squadron. "As a long-time advocate of expanded ferry service and investing in the Navy Yard, I look forward to the increased transportation options and job investment across the city. Thank you to the City, EDC, and the Navy Yard."

“A more connected city – and the jobs that come along with it – are just on the horizon,” said Council Member Stephen Levin. “I applaud the Mayor taking the challenge of transportation and turning it into an opportunity. The new homeport at the Brooklyn Navy Yard continues the trajectory of Brooklyn as a leader in innovation and inclusive economic development. Whether it’s more jobs or better transportation options, Citywide Ferry has the potential to substantially improve our community.”

"Today is another fine example of how our city uses its resources to support the economic needs of our residents. The Brooklyn Navy Yard's vision and mission for this ferry system not only creates alternative transportation methods for thousands of New Yorkers but it also provides much needed employment opportunities for residents of Central Brooklyn through the Workforce One Centers managed by NYC's Small Business Services. I want to congratulate all involved with seeing this project to fruition and look forward to continued prosperity throughout our great city,” said Council Member Robert Cornegy.

“We are excited to see the first wave of jobs being created with the launch of Citywide Ferry Service. We applaud the Mayor for taking the helm when it comes to waterfront development and the need for connecting millions of people to jobs across Brooklyn,” said Andrew Hoan, President and CEO, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

“The Citywide Ferry is great news for Community District 2,” said Shirley A. McRae, Chair of Brooklyn CB 2. “It provides residents, workers and tourists with another transportation option. The homeport is adding jobs to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and a planned ferry stop in the yard will one day serve those employees.”
The above rendering of the homeport is available here.

For more information on Citywide Ferry and to stay up-to-date on the latest information, visit www.CitywideFerry.NYC.

More Details on Citywide Ferry Service

Routes:

• Rockaway, South Brooklyn and Astoria routes are scheduled to launch in 2017.
• Rockaway route will connect to the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Wall Street.
• Astoria route will connect to Astoria, Roosevelt Island (Cornell Tech), Long Island City, East 34th Street and Wall Street.
• South Brooklyn route will connect Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Army Terminal, Red Hook, Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 1 and Pier 6, and Wall Street, with an optional link to Governors Island.
• Soundview and Lower East Side routes to launch in 2018.
• Routes from Coney Island and Stapleton on Staten Island are in the planning stages for future expansion.
• Combined routes will cover over 60 miles of waterway.

Commuting Times:

• Rockaway to Wall Street (1 stop): Approximately 1 hour
• Astoria to E 34th Street (2 stops): Approximately 22 minutes
• Astoria to Wall Street (3 stops): Approximately 38 minutes
• Soundview to Wall Street (2 stops): Approximately 43 minutes
• Bay Ridge to Wall Street (4 stops): Approximately 48 minutes

Pricing:

• Cost per ride will equal that of a single subway ride.
• Over 4,000 daily East River Ferry customers will see fares reduced from $4 to the cost of a single subway ride.
• Fare will allow for free transfers to any other ferry route within the system, including the East River Ferry.
• Both paper and smartphone ticketing will be available, with payments accepted via cash, credit, or debit card. Discounts will be available for seniors, children and New Yorkers with disabilities.
• Passengers will be allowed to bring bicycles on board for a $1 fee.

The Boats:

• Each boat will be able to carry 150 passengers.
• All boats will be equipped with WiFi.
• Boats will be fully accessible to New Yorkers with disabilities, and will comply with the requirements of both the Americans with Disabilities Act and New York City Local Law 68 of 2005.
• New boats will be equipped with the most modern engine design available to reduce emissions and noise, as well as an efficient hull design that will limit wakes and maximize fuel economy.

City Support:

• The city is investing $55 million in infrastructure upgrades, including building 10 new ferry landings. Barge construction is currently underway at a facility on Staten Island.
• The city is providing $30 million in operating support per year, over a period of six years. Based on a projection of 4.6 million annual trips, the per-trip subsidy for Citywide Ferry Service will be $6.60, lower than the nearly $8 per trip subsidy on the Long Island Railroad or the nearly $15 per trip subsidy for express buses. The city is providing $10 million for additional startup costs, such as vessel upgrades and ticketing machines.
• City negotiated an option to acquire ferry vessels, allowing for greater operational flexibility and providing significant savings to taxpayers over the life of the service (roughly up to $5 million per year).
• City will receive a portion of fare-box revenue if ridership exceeds 5.6 million passengers.