Jan 9, 2013 10:00 AM
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The Peconic Bay Water Jitney will not run its passenger ferry service between Sag Harbor and Greenport again this summer unless new funding—possibly from the federal government—turns up, Hampton Jitney President Geoff Lynch told the Sag Harbor Village Board on Tuesday night.
Mr. Lynch’s comments came during a brief presentation on the ferry service, which started as a pilot program last summer, but mirror an interview he gave in the fall, when he said the ferry couldn’t continue without entering into a public-private partnership involving public transit funding.
“Anecdotally, I would say that this service was a huge hit,” Mr. Lynch told the board. “Financially, it certainly was a bust.”
He repeated that he and his business partner, Jim Ryan, the marine operations manager for the Water Jitney, have no immediate plans to... more
Mr. Lynch’s comments came during a brief presentation on the ferry service, which started as a pilot program last summer, but mirror an interview he gave in the fall, when he said the ferry couldn’t continue without entering into a public-private partnership involving public transit funding.
“Anecdotally, I would say that this service was a huge hit,” Mr. Lynch told the board. “Financially, it certainly was a bust.”
He repeated that he and his business partner, Jim Ryan, the marine operations manager for the Water Jitney, have no immediate plans to... more
Shifting the focus off the commuter type schedule could permit lots of possible solutions. As many recognize, the boat ride in and of itself is top notch. How about solutions which would permit someone to stay on the boat for a few hours, with limited food service on board, or BYOB and food. Around Shelter Island perhaps, with a lunch stop at anchor in a convenient location depending on the prevailing wind? Winner!
Solutions which rely on the weather for ...more on-board comfort have their limits obviously.
The Jitney is the perfect business for doing a boat/bus tour of the East End. Start in Sag Harbor by boat to Greenport, then switch to bus for a wine tour with a return to Sag Harbor via Riverhead, or North Fork only wineries by bus, with a return ferry from Greenport to Sag Harbor.
A fixed tour and ticketing options would be popular IMO.
I agree with Nature- this was a failed business plan and instead of fixing it the owner is looking for a handout- or a way out. So be it.
lease of vessel $110,000
insurance $41,000
staff wages $86,000
vessel fuel $91,000
shuttle service for passengers $74,000
docking fees $24,000
They would have hoped to come closer to break-even though IMO.
It is only after a year or two of running a new business that one finds out in hindsight whether the business model was viable.
"Crying poor" at this stage is both premature and ...more immature. Pony up the private financing for another year, but the public trough should not feed this venture IMO.