St. Pete explores permanent ferry dock at St. Pete Pier for service to downtown Tampa

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St. Pete explores permanent ferry dock at St. Pete Pier for service to downtown Tampa

The passenger ferry linking downtown St. Pete and downtown Tampa may soon have a new home on the St. Pete Pier.

As the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) prepares to relaunch the Tampa Bay Ferry, formerly known as the Cross Bay Ferry, the city is evaluating plans to construct a permanent dock near the St. Petersburg Museum of History, according to documents obtained by St. Pete Rising.

When the ferry service began in 2016, it carried passengers on a roughly 50-minute ride from North Straub Park in downtown St. Pete to the Tampa Convention Center in downtown Tampa.

In 2023, when the permit for the St. Pete dock expired, the St. Pete terminus was relocated to the Port of St. Petersburg, south of Albert Whitted Airport.

While the Port location kept the service operational, it’s been criticized by riders and city officials for being out of sight and inconvenient compared to the original downtown stop.

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Local boating company Hubbard's Marina selected as new operator of Cross Bay Ferry

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Local boating company Hubbard's Marina selected as new operator of Cross Bay Ferry

A longtime local boating business may bring back the popular ferry service connecting downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa, with more frequent trips and year-round service.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) has recommended Hubbard’s Marina, a nearly century-old Madeira Beach-based business, to relaunch and manage the Cross Bay Ferry, which first launched in 2016. If approved, service could resume as early as 2026, ahead of the peak spring break season.

Hubbard’s Marina, which would operate the service as the Tampa Bay Ferry, was one of four respondents to PSTA’s Request for Proposals (RFP) issued on August 5th.

Founded in 1928 by Captain Wilson Hubbard as a bait-and-tackle shop, Hubbard’s Marina has grown into a major fishing and boating business. The family-owned company moved to John’s Pass on Maderia Beach in 1976, where it now offers deep-sea fishing, sightseeing tours, and operates a maintenance and manufacturing facility in Gulfport.

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St. Pete–Tampa ferry prepares for relaunch with new operator search

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St. Pete–Tampa ferry prepares for relaunch with new operator search

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.

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PSTA approves $4.8 million federal grant to restore Cross Bay Ferry service between St. Pete and Tampa

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PSTA approves $4.8 million federal grant to restore Cross Bay Ferry service between St. Pete and Tampa

The Cross Bay Ferry, which has linked passengers between downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa since 2017, could once again sail under a new operator.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), which operates the Clearwater Ferry, is now leading efforts to restore ferry service between St. Pete and Tampa after Hillsborough County recently ended its contract with HMS Ferries.

The termination came after HMS proposed replacing the current ferry with a slower vessel that would more than double one-way travel time from 50 minutes to 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.

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Cross Bay Ferry returns with year-round service between St. Pete and Tampa

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Cross Bay Ferry returns with year-round service between St. Pete and Tampa

The Cross Bay Ferry that links St. Pete and Tampa commuters will return this week - this time with year-round service.

Starting October 4th, the Cross Bay Ferry will resume operations, shuttling passengers from the local terminus at Port St. Pete (250 8th Avenue SE) and the Tampa Convention Center via a 50-minute ride.

The 149-passenger ferry, which is typically in service from October to May, will be available year-round, according to operator HMS Ferries.

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