Staten Island Ferry returns to regular service for Tuesday morning commute, DOT says
NEW YORK -- The Staten Island Ferry is back to regular service for the morning commute, following concerns about sick calls.
The New York City Department of Transportation announced overnight there would be limited or no service Tuesday due to staffing shortages.
Just before 6:15 a.m., the department tweeted that service had been returned to normal.
CBS New York's Elijah Westbrook is live at the ferry terminal in St. George with the latest information for your commute.
The DOT initially said the service disruption could inconvenience tens of thousands of daily riders.
CBS New York learned a high number of sick calls started coming in Monday night. We're told a full crew to operate a boat includes one captain, an assistant captain, three mates, one chief engineer, a marine engineer, two marine oilers and six deckhands.
In a statement, the DOT said in part, "We are doing whatever it takes to provide continuous ferry service and ensure New Yorkers can travel between Staten Island and Manhattan at no cost. We encourage everyone to avoid nonessential travel on the ferry and use alternate modes of transportation where possible."
A similar situation happened back in May, when city officials said it stemmed from negotiations between the city and the Marine Workers Union.
Stick with CBS New York for live updates on this developing story.
