Miami Beach is considering ending its financial support for the free water taxi service connecting the city to Miami due to low demand. During the latest City Commission meeting, Commissioner David Suárez highlighted that the number of passengers does not justify the $50,000 monthly cost paid to the ferry, reported CBS News.
"During that month, we only had an average of 45 users per day. And that was free," Suárez pointed out.
Suárez mentioned that he was not on the City Commission when the agreement was made. Just a month later, he is proposing its termination. He noted that the city has unsuccessfully attempted to fund a ferry service before.
In his opinion, the decision to end the service is not premature: "Given that this has already been tried, I believe twice before, rather than wasting more taxpayer money based on the given numbers, this is what needs to be done."
The low demand does not justify the current costs, prompting authorities to reassess the project's viability, although the ferry will continue operating for now.
Pilot Program to Reduce Traffic Congestion
As part of a one-year pilot program aimed at reducing traffic congestion, the city of Miami Beach proposed this initiative. According to CBS News, the measure seeks to ensure better use of municipal resources and to guarantee that investments benefit a larger number of residents and visitors.
However, users of the water taxi have differing opinions. One such user, David Ballard, who has been using the service for a month, believes it's better to use the Poseidon Ferry to avoid traffic on the way to Miami.
"In fact, we went on the weekend, it was full, and we saved ourselves from dealing with parking and, sometimes, the causeway on weekends is bumper-to-bumper all the way," said Ballard.
"I don’t think it makes sense to remove it now. They really haven’t had the chance to get it up and running," he added.
The ferry captain, David Guthrie, also holds a different view. According to his records, around 304 people used the ferry over the weekend. In his opinion, word is spreading, and more people are using it each week, especially in the afternoons during weekdays.
Last June, the city of Miami Beach proposed this new maritime transportation service to connect with Miami, similar to the existing bus system. The Miami Beach administration invited residents to a virtual community meeting to discuss the project details.
The water taxi service began operating on June 30, with the goal of reducing traffic congestion between Miami Beach and Miami.
Evaluating the Future of Miami Beach's Water Taxi
Amid discussions on the water taxi's future, here are some key questions and answers about the current situation and what it means for residents and visitors.
Why is Miami Beach considering ending the water taxi service?
The city is considering ending the service due to low ridership, which does not justify the $50,000 monthly cost.
How many people are using the water taxi on average?
On average, only 45 passengers per day are using the service, as reported by Commissioner David Suárez.
What are the opinions of current users of the water taxi?
Current users like David Ballard believe the service should continue as it helps avoid traffic and parking issues.
When did the water taxi service begin operating?
The water taxi service began on June 30 as part of a pilot program to reduce traffic congestion.