Morning times for ferry remain unchanged

January 22, 2009 by pamliconews

But double-check afternoons and evenings

Regular ferry patrons should plan to pick up a new schedule for 2009 because several crucial departure times will change beginning Monday, Jan. 26. The Minnesott Beach-Cherry Point route encounters several permanent changes, increasing afternoon and evening wait times on both sides of the Neuse River.

In a statement released last week, the North Carolina Department of Transportation blamed the U.S. Coast Guard -- not state budget woes. Officials cited a Coast Guard mandate that no member of a ferry crew should work on a vessel longer than 12 hours per day, requiring adjustments to schedules.

The following runs have been stopped entirely:
• 3:35 p.m. from both sides
• 5:15 p.m. from Cherry Branch;
• 5:45 p.m. from Minnesott Beach;
• 8:45 p.m., 10:45 p.m. and 12:45 a.m. from Cherry Branch; and
• 9:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. and 1:05 a.m. from Minnesott Beach.

The remainder of late afternoon and evening schedules have been tweaked to minimize the resulting delays.

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