Staten Island Ferry Riders

The SI Ferry Riders Committee began in 1995 as a committee of the St George Civic Association and soon became the most visible and influential committee of any civic association in Staten Island.

Our first project was a public campaign for air conditioning in the St. George terminal renovations when we learned that the multimillion renovation budget did not include air conditioning. We lobbied for and obtained plans for quality construction and design in both terminals. We provided information on ferry riders’ needs and specific programmatic suggestions to the architects and designers. Soon after, we conducted an extensive survey of ferry riders which we published and distributed.

The “Survey of the Ferry Riders Committee of the St. George Civic Association” was widely cited in the development of plans for both terminals. Tamara Coombs, Tim Bohen, Chan Graham, and Theo Dorian served as advisors to the designers, providing information on ferry riders’ needs and making specific programmatic suggestions for the terminal designs, and passing along those of others. In the process, we obtained plans for more efficient pedestrian traffic, connections to buses and trains, layout of concessions, and water views. We feel we also helped attain an impressive, efficient design for the Whitehall terminal.

Nicholas Zvegintzov- Chair, Staten Island Ferry Riders Committee
ferryriders@sgca.org
· Frequency: Staten Island needs the Ferry every half hour 24 / 7.

· Connections: Can riders catch their Staten Island buses and train if the ferry arrives late? Can they catch their ferry if the buses or train arrive late?

·Service: Punctuality, courtesy, cleanliness, professionalism

·Information: Why can’t a passenger discover when the next boat is actually arriving? Actually leaving?
·The design of the 2016 new generation ferries
·Improved waiting and boarding for handicapped riders and bicycles