The ferry is a familiar presence in Port Jefferson with its loud horn that sounds before every departure. However, with the outbreak of COVID-19, the Port Jefferson Band Bridgeport Steamboat Company is now taking new measures to ensure the safety of its workers and passengers and operating on a modified schedule due to reduced traffic. 

This ferry, which travels between Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Port Jefferson, New York, must adapt to the new world this outbreak has created. Transportation, including planes, buses, subways, have all been hit hard by the Coronavirus. They are experiencing a significant reduction in the volume of passengers and must adjust accordingly. Our local ferry is no exception and now runs on a schedule created by this COVID-19 dictated world. It will now depart Port Jefferson at 6:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 6:30 PM, and depart Bridgeport at 7:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 4:45 PM and 8:15 PM. 

The Port Jefferson and Bridgeport Steamboat Company has also made a statement addressing concerns about the outbreak. They ensure that new protocols such as increasing the number of personnel responsible for sanitation and providing hand sanitation are all in place in order to mitigate the spread of the virus. In addition, they are monitoring local, state, and federal announcements and will adjust their transportation accordingly. For more information on these new regulations, visit www.88844ferry.com/. 

The transportation industry is one of the hardest hit in this outbreak. With ticket sales down for flights, trains, and boats, the future of many transportation companies seems uncertain. However, we must have hope that this too will pass and our industries will rebound. We hope that the ferry can soon return to its rightful place on the horizon, tipping over the water’s edge.