Everyone knows Americans love their automobiles, but with traffic woes increasingly in the news, that love affair for many is being tested. In the era of post Panamax ships it is refreshing to see a renewed interest in ferries, a proven staple of the maritime industry. The growing interest in ferries by local, state and federal government officials is obvious. The advantages ferries offer are many. They protect the environment and relieve highway congestion in a user-friendly way.
Passengers travel in comfort.
Instead of asphalt and bumpers, people are discovering America's riverine communities and their wildlife. All of these are important elements in Vice President Gore's Livable Communities Initiative. Mobility is a DOT strategic goal. There's no law that says people have to travel by car, bus, train or subway if there's a river, lake or bay in their backyard. Ferries are logical, affordable and fun.