The MBTA is announcing this week that ferry schedule changes will take effect on January 23, as approved by the Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) in December 2020.
The changes include the temporary suspension of all Charlestown (F4) service, the temporary suspension of direct Hingham (F1) ferry service, and reduced weekday Hingham/Hull ferry service frequency.
These changes are part of Forging Ahead, the MBTA’s plan to preserve transit access and quality of service available to transit-critical customers and were approved last month along with other service adjustments to other modes of travel in the MBTA system. These short-term service changes for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) help match service levels with current and near-term low ridership demand.
It was a plan opposed by the Friends of the Charlestown Navy Yard and Boston HarborNOW – as well as some elected officials.
However, with ferry ridership approximately 12% of pre-COVID levels, these changes in ferry service effective January 23, 2021, aim to align service with the lower ridership levels experienced during the pandemic. On January 23, 2021, the following changes will occur to ferry service:
•Direct Charlestown (F4) and Hingham (F1) ferry service will be temporarily suspended.
The FMCB will assess service needs again on all modes by no later than March 15, 2021, and will allocate additional resources to meet ridership demand if feasible. The timing of all service restoration will also depend on public health guidance (including guidance on the continued need for social distancing) and the timing of the Commonwealth’s post-vaccination re-opening plan.