For almost a decade, through the pandemic, bankruptcy and other challenges, the Cross Bay Ferry has carried passengers between St. Petersburg and Tampa.
But the ferry could meet its fate as early as this week.
Since 2021, Hillsborough County and HMS Ferries Inc. have operated the service across Tampa Bay.
But on March 24, the county declared that the boat company had defaulted on its agreement and had until April 3 to repair the situation.
That means that HMS might have to pull out five months before the contract was scheduled to end on Sept. 30.
Evan Mory, St. Petersburg's transportation and parking management director, wrote in a memo that HMS wanted to use a different vessel after April 30 — one that would make the trip almost two hours long each way.
That's more than twice as long as the current 50-minute voyage, even though the proposed boat would still carry about the same number of passengers,149.
Hillsborough County commissioners are scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether they want to terminate the contract with HMS Ferries.
If they vote yes, the Cross Bay Ferry will likely set sail for the final time on April 30.
Mory said St. Petersburg would save $102,000 this fiscal year if the service ends that day.
However, an email from the city said it is working with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and other government partners to "explore options to provide a new ferry service for Tampa Bay residents and visitors.”
