To the Forgotten NY archives we again go, this time to November, 2015, in what turned out to be my last ride on the venerable John F. Kennedy Staten Island ferryboat. The boat was retired a good six years later, in 2021, and though I snagged numerous rides on the SIF since 2015 I was never able to catch the JFK again. I do not know if NYC Department of Transportation posts online which boats are running on any particular day; if they do… Comments are open. The boat is still in existence, as it was purchased by a group that included “Saturday Night Live” comic and Staten Island native Pete Davidson, in hopes of turning it into a recreational vehicle. Plans have not yet come to fruition and the boat is docked in New Brighton, awaiting its next chapter.
I ride the Staten Island Ferry on weekends for the most part, which is when I go to Staten Island, especially in fall and winter when the leaves are down, for neighborhood shoots. On the weekend I often find myself one of the few New Yorkers on the boat and one of the few nontourists (though I consider myself a tourist in my own city), and mostly everyone exits the boat at the terminal and gets the next boat back to Manhattan; simply riding back and forth between Staten Island and Manhattan on the same boat is not permitted. Needless to say, I find Staten Island as interesting, if not more interesting, than the other four boroughs — New York is truly blessed to be a “water city” that was built along estuaries, rivers and on islands, and has multiple bridges built over the course of two centuries.
The JFK was first launched in 1965, when Robert F. Wagner was serving out his final year (of twelve) as mayor, and was of course named for the 35th US President elected in 1960 and murdered in Dallas, Texas in 1963. Thus, with little fanfare, the JFK celebrated its golden anniversary in 2015.
The John F. Kennedy can safely transport 3500 passengers, is 297 feet (91 m) long, 69 feet, 10 inches (21.3 m) wide, weighs approximately 2110 gross tons, runs on 7000 horsepower engines and runs at an average speed of 16 knots, or 30 MPH. After 50 years of service it was still considered the safest boat in the fleet.
Since the JFK was considered a crowd pleaser with plenty of outdoor deck space for sightseeing and more than adequate seating (though I have not rode the ferryboat during rush hour), new designs are said to be hewing more closely to the JFK’s design that the more recent class, which has been deficient as far as outdoor seating is concerned; I’m also not a fan of the multicolored plastic seats on the newer boats.
The windows have rounded edges and heating vents are right along the windows. In spots, windows can open if you are seated inside but still desire a cool breeze in the warm months. As the boat passes treasures of the harbor such as the Statue of Liberty, the rounded windows serve as a picture frame. You do have to wait to center the object just so — I shot this just a second too early and hence, it isn’t quite centered. Remember, the boat moves at about 30 MPH. The effect reminds you of a motion picture.
The wood benches… which still took to polish well…were occasionally marred with vandals’ scratches over five decades. Think of the revenue the Metropolitan Transit Authority would earn if the ferry cost $2.90, to match the bus and subway fares in 2024. SI ferryboats are almost always packed with commuters in the mornings and evenings, and tourists in the hours between and after. Is it time to begin thinking about a ferry fare in a time when the MTA is always strapped for money, no matter how high the fare is raised? Some Staten Island politicians think so, and have floated plans to charge tourists a fare, but not commuters. I have no idea how the difference would be ascertained without an elaborate screening process at either terminal. At this point a fare is unlikely, and I’m not endorsing such a move.
The JFK has plenty of standing room on the fore and aft decks and people take advantage, no matter how cold the weather. Life jackets are stored in a bin on the roof. Note the traditional ferry lighting, an incandescent bulb in glass surrounded by a metal frame. While outdoor side seating is available on the JFK, most passengers prefer to stand and move about to maximize the available scenery on both sides of the boat.
Since 2015, there have been ten years of additions to the NY skyline seen outside the windows.
Only recently have Staten Island ferryboats’ snack bars been reopened following the COVID-19 pandemic.
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1/9/25