Tampa Bay Ferry's Comeback: Two Boats, One Goal

0:00It's April 27th. This is Tampa Bay News today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. The Tampa Bay Ferry is set to make a comeback, linking downtown Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg by the end of 2026. This time, they'll run two boats instead of just one, cutting down on delays and giving riders more choices. Officials are picking two vessels from three finalists, ones that serve routes in San Francisco, Seattle, and Louisiana. The Pinellas Sun Coast Transit Authority is footing the bill with a $5 million federal grant, aiming to bridge the Tampa Convention Center, straight to St. Pete's heart. Local leaders are hyped about the reliability, saying frequent boats will boost transit use just like buses or street cars that show up often. After last year's service shut down over a contract fight with the old provider, Hubbard's Marina, a Tampa Bay fixture since the 50s, is stepping in to run things. They're eyeing $10 tickets to keep it affordable, and the launch hinges on selecting and refurbishing

1:01the boats. The plan pushes for service by year's end, if everything lines up. This water link could finally put Tampa Bay on the map, like those big city ferry systems, easing traffic and opening up the bay for everyone.