What about the Sando POS ferry?

[Bitter]

From Keith in Trinidad
http://keithintrinidad.blogspot.com/2009/01/water-taxi-tips.html

Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Water Taxi Tips

Having travelled on the service for a bit and in response to questions posed on and offline, I offer the following tidbits.

• The ferry service only runs on week days and that at scheduled times.  Departure is always on time.  If you miss boarding, then you've missed the boat.  The attendants at the loading areas will pleasantly and politely advise thus.
• The service costs TT$15.00 one-way, and you can purchase tickets at either jetty for any scheduled sailing in the current week.
• For TT$3.00 more, you can purchase a PTSC bus transfer service in either an Easterly or Westerly direction from the port through Port of Spain as an attachment to your ticket.  I'm not sure whether a similar San Fernando transfer service exists as yet; I've seen no indication that one does.
• Tickets are sold for a specific sailing in one direction, and are both non-refundable and non-transferable.  In short, if you miss the boat, don't expect to get a pre-purchased ticket exchanged for a seat on the next sailing.
• You can park for free in secure facilities at the Cruise Ship Complex and at the San Fernando jetty while you travel on the ferry.
• The sailing schedule is set weekly, is published in the daily papers, and is displayed on whiteboards near the ticket booths at both ports.  As far as I know, there is no number to call to get the schedule, nor is there a website where you can check the schedule.  I hope that this changes in time.
• If a cruise ship is scheduled to be in the Cruise Ship Complex on a particular day, this is catered for in the week's sailing schedule and will be reflected by fewer sailings on the day or days that the cruise ship is in port.    From what I gather and understand, the water-taxi service is running from temporary quarters in both San Fernando and Port of Spain, although the San Fernando jetty might better be described as semi-permanent.  The boats are renting time at a berth at the Cruise Ship Complex in Port of Spain until their permanent jetty is constructed closer to the Breakfast Shed at the end of Independence Square.  Thus, if you plan on using the service, make sure to review the schedule for that week on the Monday.
• Sailing may also be impacted unscheduled issues.  If one or more of the four boats break down for whatever reason, then the week's schedule will of course be impacted.  Incidents here seem to have disappeared with increased vigilance on the part of the ferry crews and greater attention to maintenance.
• There is security on each boat in the form of an Amalgamated Security Company officer.  All passengers are scanned and their bags check before boarding.  Access to both jetties in Port of Spain and San Fernando is security-restricted.  If anyone fears that one officer might not be enough to handle the cabin, all of the crew are fairly large and while not ominous, are not unassuming.
• The Gulf of Paria encloses a very placid body of water.  This combined with the boats' split hull design makes the ferry ride quite smoothly in open water.  Nonetheless, if you know that you are prone to seasickness, when you board for the first time, locate the bathroom and sit at the back of the cabin in an aisle seat.  Ensure that the seat pocket in front of you has a bag.  These are just precautions though; you may find that you won't feel any discomfort at all.
• Whether traveling in the morning or evening, prepare yourself to take a snooze.  Between the air conditioning, the cushioned and contoured seats, and the low drone of the boat's engines, you may find yourself drifting off during the trip.
• From what I've heard, the service started with about 15 of the current San Fernando-based regulars on its first day or two.  Now, boats are running with just a handful of seats unoccupied.  There may come a time where you won't be able to buy a ticket for a day's sailing on the same day.
• Yes, the trip really does take about an hour from cast off to docking.

[E-man]

Any announcement of special service during Carnival weekend?

[trinindian]

Inter-city ferries for Trinidad
An Australian company, Austral, has announced that it has been awarded a contract to build four high speed ferries for the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

The shipbuilding contract is said to be worth AUD$75 million (US$64m).

The company said in a statement that the 41-metre vessels will be used as water taxis between the southern Trinidadian town of San Fernando and the capital Port of Spain.

They are intended to ease road congestion and designed to carry 405 passengers at a speed of 37 knots.

Austal is also building six fast patrol craft for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, due for delivery in 2010, as are the ferries.

*******************************************************************************

Has the existing ferry service been successful to justify this kind of expenditure?

[chinee boi]

the way T&T spending yuh swear the oil business booming again!  I feel I hadda leave this cold country and come back and wok home!

[grimm01]

What I doh understand is why the government feel the need to spend money on this??? Why not open it up to private enterprise? Gov't should set and enforce the safety rules and let the entrepreneurs do the rest.

What is with us and this perpetual expectation/reliance on the gov't to do everything?

[rotatopoti3]

What I doh understand is why the government feel the need to spend money on this???

Well how else yuh expect dem to thief money...aint dey have to show some form of accountability....ah couple invoice and ah little payoff here and there....den bradam.....yuh might find out 10 years from now....certain parties migrated to Australia....    

We like it so........doe study it

[capodetutticapi]

could here them maxi men complainin ah ready.they will lose some good cheddar.

[pass(10trini)]

What I doh understand is why the government feel the need to spend money on this???

Well how else yuh expect dem to thief money...aint dey have to show some form of accountability....ah couple invoice and ah little payoff here and there....den bradam.....yuh might find out 10 years from now....certain parties migrated to Australia....    

We like it so........doe study it

Doh worry Panday not dey to geh the money.

[Bitter]

The Gov't has a duty to ensure that T&T runs in a way that allows it's citizens to operate freely.
This means that issues that are bigger than any narrow sector of the population need to be addressed.

# Establish justice.
# Ensure Public Safety (Fail!).
# Provide for common defense.
# Promote general welfare.

If no private party can step up to provide a service, the Gov't may deem it necessary to intervene.

The water taxi service falls under the same planning as the overpass. - Providing better transportation infrastructure. Any complaints about why there is a ferry to Tobago?

What would your proposal be to a private group about returns on their investment.

hmm, let's see, first we build 2 terminals and provide at least 2 boats at a cost of $400mTT each.
The we recoup our investment by...??

The water taxis are actually an elegant solution to a serious problem. There are only so many roads that can be built. Transporting people in a more efficient manner will ease congestion and benefit all.

A better long-term solution would be to de-centralize, so that there is no need for so many people to travel to POS and environs every day.

[Peong]

A better long-term solution would be to de-centralize, so that there is no need for so many people to travel to POS and environs every day.

Yeh Fedup of all dem outta-towners crowdin up meh city.

The taxi drivers will be able to make more trips with less congestion on the road, so I think they should be ok.

[grimm01]

The Gov't has a duty to ensure that T&T runs in a way that allows it's citizens to operate freely.
This means that issues that are bigger than any narrow sector of the population need to be addressed.

# Establish justice.
# Ensure Public Safety (Fail!).
# Provide for common defense.
# Promote general welfare.

If no private party can step up to provide a service, the Gov't may deem it necessary to intervene.

The water taxi service falls under the same planning as the overpass. - Providing better transportation infrastructure. Any complaints about why there is a ferry to Tobago?

What would your proposal be to a private group about returns on their investment.

hmm, let's see, first we build 2 terminals and provide at least 2 boats at a cost of $400mTT each.
The we recoup our investment by...??

The water taxis are actually an elegant solution to a serious problem. There are only so many roads that can be built. Transporting people in a more efficient manner will ease congestion and benefit all.

A better long-term solution would be to de-centralize, so that there is no need for so many people to travel to POS and environs every day.

I agree that the gov't has a duty to the people. I think a gov't has the responsibility to ensure that it's citizens are safe, healthy and educated. Now they can do that by direct intervention and ownership of services or through the creation of laws that allow others to perform those critical.

I understand that T&T is a small country and sometimes the gov't has to take a more direct role in industry & business that in larger more developed countries but can't something like this be opened up to private enterprises that can probably run it cheaper and more efficiently that the gov't.

To your point about gov't intervention if no one steps up: Was this service ever opened up to bids from the business community? Did the gov't ever sell licenses to operate the service?  Was there ever a private operation in place? I asking because I don't know, not to be belligerent.

Entrepreneurs are a smart bunch and I am sure can creatively create a service with little gov't input. Like I said the gov't can set the rules for safety, maintenance and let the free market dictate price and levels of service. Better yet, if money buring a hole in Manning pants, the gov't could build the terminals on either end because they own the land, and lease space to operators and vendors (like at City Gate) or take a tax on tickets, something...

We shouldn't always have to wait on the gov't and the gov't shouldn't always feel like they need to step in.

[Bitter]

I hear you,
My point is this. If there were a business opportunity, then one of these smart entrepreneurs would have stepped up long ago and run a service.  regardless of the level of Gov't involvement. If no private party sees value in investing $400m + in this service, the terminal would sit empty, and then we'd be talking about yet another white elephant project by the Gov't.

I agree that in many cases , the Gov't does not need to be involved, but in this case, I think they are the only party who has the resources to execute this project.

Note that the Staten Island Ferry is operated by the NY Department of Transportation.

I would like to know more about the history of ferry service in T&T myself.

[Bakes]

Nothing wrong with government taking point on providing certain essential services.  An initiative like this which likely would yield the most rewards for poorer people (who don't have car and have to rely on public transportation) shouldn't be left to the whims of capitalism.  Whatever advantages projected in efficiency could easily be erased by expense to the travelling public and likely government would then have to step in anyways with subsidies.  You best believe that if there was a viable private sector market for these services one ah dem syrian woulda done lap up de opportunity already.

Besides... government has always heavily regulated (and even controlled) public transportation.

[mukumsplau]

it hav entrepreneurs wit dat kinda money?...well i guess syrians are entrepreneurs too

[lefty]

well considering that d service at present is ah big hit, (d 5:45 to POS does be full to capacity every day since school open), larger boats might not be a bad idea on d off peek periods though

[Babalawo]

any info on the models and make of these ferries?

[Tallman]

I use de water taxi yesterday from Sando to town, and everything went smoothly. It left on time, de staff was courteous, de boat was clean, and everything was handled professionally.

[Brownsugar]

I heard its full a peak hours....but its main selling point was it would reduce traffic on the roads.  That hasn't happened yet....why?

[Dutty]

I heard its full a peak hours....but its main selling point was it would reduce traffic on the roads.  That hasn't happened yet....why?

does the government promote it/advertise it in any form??

It does be hard to get people out of the comfort zone of their cars...far more get them into what is probably perceived as a just a loud maxi on de water

[NYtriniwhiteboy..]

dutty pple still fraid the ting...i hear nuff pple say they rather break down on de road in a bus than on de water...hear nah that water taxi is de bess...i took it a couple times when i was home and no complaints!
the schedule is even online for u to check every week...i believe it is also in de papers often

[Dutty]

dutty pple still fraid the ting...i hear nuff pple say they rather break down on de road in a bus

ah had ah feelin so....i sure all kinda drownin and big shark talk does pass in de mix too

[weary1969]

I use de water taxi yesterday from Sando to town, and everything went smoothly. It left on time, de staff was courteous, de boat was clean, and everything was handled professionally.

So I take it in yuh in TNT

[Tallman]

I use de water taxi yesterday from Sando to town, and everything went smoothly. It left on time, de staff was courteous, de boat was clean, and everything was handled professionally.

So I take it in yuh in TNT

Ah leave ahready. Ah was jes there for ah day.

[weary1969]

I use de water taxi yesterday from Sando to town, and everything went smoothly. It left on time, de staff was courteous, de boat was clean, and everything was handled professionally.

So I take it in yuh in TNT

Ah leave ahready. Ah was jes there for ah day.

AA 1818 is yuh bus service.

[Brownsugar]

dutty pple still fraid the ting...i hear nuff pple say they rather break down on de road in a bus than on de water...hear nah that water taxi is de bess...i took it a couple times when i was home and no complaints!
the schedule is even online for u to check every week...i believe it is also in de papers often

I have a friend from South who told me the same thing....steups....if I was living in the South, I would use if for sure....only thing is, when ah reach POS and ah want mih car to go do stuff.....then hhhhmmmmmmm ah guess that's why mih South co-workers doh use it.....ALL of them still drive.....

I feel I going to take it one day and go South just to experience it for mih self....

[weary1969]

I feel I going to take it one day and go South just to experience it for mih self....
[/quote]

Cosign

[NYtriniwhiteboy..]

for de drinkers nuttin better than a monday morning yuh jus get up get a drop to the water taxi and yuh driven down south...nuff times sunday evening i happy not to drive an let my frenz make de idiot drive south...monday morn i wake up and get on de taxi and i good to go.

[Babalawo]

dutty pple still fraid the ting...i hear nuff pple say they rather break down on de road in a bus

ah had ah feelin so....i sure all kinda drownin and big shark talk does pass in de mix too

man people does be fraid to take a plane to america so this rell easy to believe with them small minded for small island people

[Trini1]

any info on the models and make of these ferries?

you can look here:
http://www.austal.com/index.cfm?objectid=B5DF1BD8-65BF-EBC1-2760EC4290B67616

[Organic]

Nothing wrong with government taking point on providing certain essential services.  An initiative like this which likely would yield the most rewards for poorer people (who don't have car and have to rely on public transportation) shouldn't be left to the whims of capitalism.  Whatever advantages projected in efficiency could easily be erased by expense to the travelling public and likely government would then have to step in anyways with subsidies.  You best believe that if there was a viable private sector market for these services one ah dem syrian woulda done lap up de opportunity already.

Besides... government has always heavily regulated (and even controlled) public transportation.

the thing is with the service..is not only the pooer people with out cars taking it. Many more affluent citizens use the service on a daily basis. then are ither picked up in front or ride the buss to various drop points.