Water Taxi Ending Services

[TheCat]

The company that operates the water taxis on the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville has notified the city it will suspend service on June 6.  City officials say they are looking for a new service provider, but "we do expect to have a lapse in water taxi service."

Channel 4 learned that HarborCare notified the city on Friday it will end the service due to issues caused by the reconstruction of the Southbank Riverwalk and the lack of an extension to its contract with the city that ends at the end of July.

"We still do not have a contract to operate and the construction project that is seriously hampering our income potential, we just can't continue to operate at a loss amidst all of this uncertainty," wrote Rosie Trout, chief transportation officer of Jacksonville Water Taxi

http://www.news4jax.com/news/water-taxis-to-end-service-next-month/26191194

[coredumped]

Wow, I was just remarking this past weekend (albeit, a holiday weekend) how busy the water taxi was. I'm sure the southbank has hurt them, but I thought the friendship fountain stop was still open(?).

I hope they get a new provider, this is one of the things that makes jacksonville feel special vs other cities.

[fsquid]

well shit, I was going to use it for the USA match

[IrvAdams]

According to the article, the city contract required a provider to have six boats with a total of 350 seats, and a minimum of 40 seats per boat. The current provider (HarborCare) meets the first two but not the third. This sounds like a straightforward contract renegotiation.

Jax officials should get this done, this service is important and used frequently.

[NoahDavis]

My first and probably last trip across the river. 

http://youtu.be/cmxEcfnDpvA

[goldy21]

Why would they stop service the day before the USMNT soccer game?

[IrvAdams]

Certainly they can fix this. Tons of business involved with that game.

[I-10east]

Water taxi > Mayport Ferry.

Esp with this 6 cents gas tax, it's time to build a simple two lane low 'swinging over the channel' bridge from Mayport to Heckscher instead of wasting money on something for the sake of being 'nostalgic'. 

[mtraininjax]

Mayoral Leadership? Photo Op?

[Jtetlak]

I've reached out to the Water Taxi to see if we can at least get them to postpone their plan to end service until after the USA match. I'll keep you posted!

[peestandingup]

I think most normal days its not that busy. Plus, its a pretty expensive trip to just go across the river (say from Landing to Friendship Fountain). Two or three people & you're paying some really high end luxury prices for that little trip, so most probably don't bother (which in terms hurts foot traffic in & around the water overall). I always felt this was something that should be integrated with regular public transit & JTA instead of contracted.

[Tacachale]

It's fairly busy whenever I've been on it during "normal" hours. I expect the issue is what they said, the Riverwalk construction combined with the city not giving them a contract extension.

[Jtetlak]

I've been in touch with Mr. McDaniel who is the CEO of Jacksonville Water Taxi and he has informed me that the date for ending service was chosen because of insurance issues. They are currently trying to see if they can get an extension worked out in order to be able to provide service to cover the Team USA match on June 7.

[ProjectMaximus]

Also wonder if the high speed river boat racing will affect those operations that weekend.

[mtraininjax]

Also wonder if the high speed river boat racing will affect those operations that weekend.

Downtown is a no wake zone. Don't see much powerboating between the bridges. Damn those manatees!