New report on public transit sees opportunities for ferries
Written by Nick Blenkey
Does a general public dissatisfaction with current U.S. public transit systems create an opportunity for the ferry industry? A new report just released by Belfast, Northern Ireland, based foiling ferry innovator Artemis Technologies suggests so.
Conducted by accredited third-party research firm Censuswide, the report Future of Sustainable Transit report features insights from 2,000 Americans on their key grievances regarding public transit and the changes they are hoping to see in their cities when it comes to more sustainable modes of transportation.
Among other things, the report shows that 49% of Americans surveyed would give their city’s public transit a grade C or below.
Just under 1 in 5 (19%) respondents say they’d be motivated to use a ferry service if it was more environmentally friendly, which is consistent with the finding that over a third (38%) say cleaning up waterways is one of the most important climate initiatives for their city.
In addition to the environment, users take their experience into account. Some of the key components people are looking for in the next 5 years when it comes to public transit improvements are expanded areas of service (30%) and increased hours of operation (29%). In other words, more access. If ferry service existed or increased, almost a third (32%) of Americans would consider using it if this service ran often and there were shorter wait times between rides.
“Rethinking public transportation of the future must consider the user experience and the surrounding environment,” says David Tyler, co-founder of Artemis Technologies. “There is a larger opportunity for more private sector collaboration with cities to make ferry services, water taxis and other modes of maritime transport a more desirable and modern method of transportation, but those investments need to start now.”
- Download the report HERE
