After a three-month pause, daily ferry service across Tampa Bay is now one step closer to returning.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) has begun a competitive procurement process to select a private operator to relaunch and manage a year-round, more frequent ferry connection between downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa.

On August 5th, PSTA issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit interested operators, with submissions due by Thursday, August 28th.

The new RFP follows Hillsborough County’s recent decision to terminate its contract with the previous Cross Bay Ferry operator, HMS Ferries, after the company proposed replacing the current vessel with a slower one that would extend the one-way trip from 50 minutes to more than two hours.

When the county canceled its contract with HMS, ending the Cross Bay Ferry operations on April 30th, it left $4,863,280 of unspent Federal Transit Authority (FTA) dollars on the table, which can be used towards the purchase of two new ferry boats for the Tampa-to-St. Pete service.

Once an new operator is chosen, they’ll work with PSTA to identify and acquire as many viable ferry vessels as possible within the available grant funding. The goal is to restart service in early 2026, before the peak spring break season.

The Cross Bay ferry when it was docked at the vinoy basin | St. Pete rising

“By partnering with an experienced private ferry operator, PSTA is continuing to innovate when it comes to transportation in Tampa Bay,” said Brad Miller, PSTA’s Chief Executive Officer. “We expect this approach to deliver the best service connecting the Tampa Bay at the lowest cost.”

The return of St. Pete-to-Tampa ferry service is expected to offer not only scenic commutes across the bay but also a meaningful alternative to increasingly congested roadways in the region.

The ferry will dock at Vinoy Basin in downtown St. Pete and the Tampa Convention Center in downtown Tampa, according to the RFP.

Miller previously said operating two ferry vessels would increase service frequency to every one to two hours on peak weekend days, compared to every three to four hours with the current service. It would also boost ridership and reduce or eliminate subsidies.

Early projections estimate ridership could increase to 100,000 with two vessels, up from the current 60,000.

The new operator contract, which must be approved by the PSTA Board of Directors, will run for five years with an option to extend for an additional five years. Evaluation criteria include operational experience, cost-effectiveness, and long-term business strategy.

This route is a separate service from PSTA’s Clearwater Ferry service, which continues to operate on Clearwater Harbor with plans to expand to Dunedin.

Interested ferry operators can ask questions and submit a proposal online.