Commuter asks US Coast Guard to probe NY Waterway ferry that hit pier and sailed on

The incident followed commuter complaints over late departures, crossings taking 50 to 55 minutes rather than the scheduled 40 minutes, crowding and the loss of onboard wi-fi.

On October 5, engine trouble kept a ferry stationary in the bay near Belford for 10 minutes, prompting a passenger to urge others to sign a petition calling for Seastreak's return. Patch reported more than 300 signatures.

Pockriss attributed crowding to Betsy Ross, one of two 400-passenger vessels dedicated to the route, being out of service, and said the issue was resolved once she returned.

Monmouth County awarded NY Waterway a two-year contract with two optional one-year renewals in August, replacing Seastreak, which had operated the service since December 2022. NY Waterway, which previously ran the route from 2002 to 2022, resumed service on September 8.