New York Waterway ferries are heading back from New Jersey to New York and vice versa, as more people are commuting. They had been shut down due to COVID-19.

 

“It's exciting considering that summer is pretty much here,” says passenger Bryan Lopez.

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Lopez was headed to Manhattan. He takes public transit regularly, and in the new normal brought on by COVID-19, he has to think about which form of transit might pose the most risk.

“I feel like it doesn't not as much as the train because you're closer in a car then here,” says Lopez. “We have more room to breathe out. I'd say it's safer, if anything.”

Jennifer Shuck is the spokesperson for the New York Waterway. She hopes nervous commuters will look to the ferry as their commutes begin again.

“You can really social distance on a ferry,” says Shuck. “They are very wide. We also have a lot of ventilation windows open. Doors can open, a lot of fresh air coming in and also are open air ducks. He can sit out there as well.”

Crews have been busy prepping for today. Last week, they were seen cleaning and sanitizing the ferries. They also showed News 12 some safety measures that have been taken, such as installing plexiglass dividers and social distancing markers.

Some more changes include contactless ticketing using their app or a ticket drop box, reduced capacity to 50%, and marked social distancing on ferries, buses and in terminals.

Other changes include fresh air cabins and terminals, as doors and windows will be open, rear boarding on buses to not have contact with the driver, and sanitizing stations and continuous sanitizing of ferries, buses and terminals. All of this was made to help ease any concerns about riding public transportation again.

“We're hoping people have the confidence in us to come here because we're looking out for you 100%, that approach to the city never gets old,” says Shuck.

The ferry will be operating on a revised schedule, and for now only on weekdays, at Port Imperial every 20 minutes from 6 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. The first ferry left Port Imperial at 6 a.m.